Shiv Sena MP Dr Shrikant Shinde on Thursday categorically maintained that India has effectively dismantled Pakistan’s anti-India 'propaganda' in nations of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) following the success of Operation Sindoor.
Dr Shinde, who led a multi-party delegation to the United Arab Emirates and West African nations as part of the Government’s diplomatic outreach in the aftermath of the military operation, said Islamabad’s attempts to win sympathy over cross-border attacks were systematically countered with facts and evidence.
"I think the propaganda Pakistan tried to sell to these nations, we were able to bust it. It was Pakistan that sent terrorists across the border into India to carry out attacks. We provided all facts and evidence. It was a very successful outreach programme," Dr Shinde said.
The delegation, comprising representatives from several political parties, visited the UAE, Sierra Leone, Liberia and the Democratic Republic of Congo over a 14-day programme. The team engaged with senior officials, parliamentarians, academics, and members of the Indian diaspora to project India’s zero-tolerance approach to terrorism.
Among the key members of the delegation were BJP MPs Bansuri Swaraj, Atul Garg, and Manan Kumar Mishra; IUML leader E T Mohammad Basheer; BJD's Sasmit Patra; former Union Minister S S Ahluwalia; and ex-diplomat Sujan Chinoy.
"We were able to convey strongly that while India supplies technology and trade to the whole world, Pakistan was supplying terrorists to the whole world," Dr Shinde said, pointing to Pakistan's long history of sheltering internationally wanted terrorists, including 9/11 mastermind Osama bin Laden.
He recalled how bin Laden was found living undetected in Abbottabad, a stone’s throw from a Pakistani military compound, until he was eliminated by American forces — an episode long cited as evidence of Pakistan’s duplicity.
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The UAE and Sierra Leone, both members of the OIC, welcomed the Indian delegation’s message. Congo and Liberia have been elected to the United Nations Security Council as non-permanent members for the 2026–28 term.
Dr Shinde said, "We went to OIC member nations to highlight Pakistan's role in spreading terrorism in the name of religion. It also seeks protection from the OIC nations contending that it is safeguarding the interests of the Muslim community."
During their stop in Abu Dhabi, the delegation held talks with Sheikh Nahyan bin Mubarak Al Nahyan, Minister of Tolerance and Coexistence. The UAE official reportedly offered India unequivocal support on the issue of terrorism.
"The UAE minister told us that it has no space for any country that hijacks religion to spread terrorism and that they condemn such actions in the strongest terms," Dr Shinde noted.
According to him, leaders of the West African nations expressed awareness of India’s concerns vis-à-vis Pakistan. The visit, he said, helped them grasp the broader implications of cross-border terror.
Dr Shinde underlined the importance of a parliamentary resolution passed by Sierra Leone condemning the Pahalgam terror attack and Pakistan’s involvement, calling it "a big development, one OIC member nation condemning the actions of another OIC member nation."
The delegation briefed regional leaders on Pakistan's decades-long record of exporting terrorism into India, beginning in 1947, and cited evidence of United Nations and US-designated terrorists operating with impunity on Pakistani soil.
"We also apprised the leadership on how global terrorists, designated by the UN and the US, roam about freely in Pakistan. How they carry out attacks on Indian Parliament and in Mumbai, Delhi and elsewhere," he said.
Dr Shinde said the visit also paved the way for enhanced Indo-African ties, with countries such as Liberia and the Congo expressing a desire for greater trade and investment from India, particularly in the resource-rich sectors.
The Shiv Sena MP said a formal report on the outreach would be submitted to External Affairs Minister Dr S Jaishankar, including a detailed account of regional expectations and economic opportunities.
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