51 politicians, 33 countries; Tharoor, Brittas, Muraleedharan to represent Kerala in India’s global anti-terror push

New Delhi: India has continued to take a tough stance against Pakistan, condemning its alleged role in sponsoring terrorism. Urging global support for the mission to tackle terrorism, against the backdrop of Operation Sindoor, the Central Government led by Narendra Modi has decided to send a 51-member all-party delegation to 33 countries. Political leaders, parliamentarians, and former ministers cutting across party lines will be part of the seven delegations traveling to world capitals, according to a PTI report.

Representing Kerala, Congress MP Shashi Tharoor, CPM MP John Brittas, and BJP leader V. Muraleedharan are included in the delegations. Government sources confirmed that Tharoor will lead the delegation to the United States.

The delegations, led by Baijayant Panda, Ravi Shankar Prasad (both BJP), Sanjay Kumar Jha (JDU), Shrikant Shinde (Shiv Sena), Shashi Tharoor (Congress), Kanimozhi (DMK), and Supriya Sule (NCP-SP), will visit a total of 32 countries and the EU headquarters in Brussels, Belgium, reported PTI.

"One mission. One message. One Bharat. Seven All-Party Delegations will soon engage key nations under #OperationSindoor, reflecting our collective resolve against terrorism," Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju said in a post on X.

Each delegation comprises seven or eight political leaders and is assisted by former diplomats. Of the 51 political leaders, 31 are part of the ruling NDA, while the remaining 20 represent non-NDA parties. All seven delegations have at least one Muslim representative, either among politicians or diplomats.

The delegations include former Union Ministers Ghulam Nabi Azad, M. J. Akbar, Anand Sharma, V Muraleedharan, Salman Khurshid, and SS Ahluwalia, who are not currently members of Parliament.

The delegation led by Panda comprises Nishikant Dubey, Phangnon Konyak, Rekha Sharma (all BJP), Asaduddin Owaisi (AIMIM), Satnam Sandhu (nominated), former minister Ghulam Nabi Azad, and former foreign secretary Harsh Shringla. This group will travel to Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Bahrain, and Algeria.

The delegation led by Prasad includes Daggubati Purandeswari (BJP), Priyanka Chaturvedi (SS-UBT), Ghulam Nabi Khatana (nominated), Amar Singh (Congress), Samik Bhattacharya (BJP), former Union Minister MJ Akbar, and former diplomat Pankaj Saran. They will travel to the United Kingdom, France, Germany, the EU, Italy, and Denmark.

JD(U) leader Jha will lead the delegation comprising Aparajita Sarangi (BJP), Yusuf Pathan (Trinamool), Brij Lal (BJP), John Brittas (CPM), Pradan Barua (BJP), Hemang Joshi (BJP), former minister Salman Khurshid, and former diplomat Mohan Kumar. This group will visit Indonesia, Malaysia, South Korea, Japan, and Singapore.

Shinde, a three-term Shiv Sena MP, will lead a group comprising Bansuri Swaraj (BJP), E. T. Mohammed Basheer (IUML), Atul Garg (BJP), Sasmit Patra (BJD), Manan Kumar Mishra (BJP), former minister SS Ahluwalia, and former diplomat Sujan Chinoy. This group will travel to the UAE, Liberia, Congo, and Sierra Leone.

The delegation led by Tharoor includes Shambhavi (LJP-RV), Sarfaraz Ahmed (JMM), G. M. Harish Balayogi (TDP), Shashank Mani Tripathi (BJP), Bhubaneshwar Kalita (BJP), Milind Deora (Shiv Sena), Tejasvi Surya (BJP), and former diplomat Taranjit Sandhu. They will travel to the US, Panama, Guyana, Colombia, and Brazil.

Kanimozhi will lead a delegation comprising Rajeev Rai (SP), Mian Altaf Ahmad (NC), Brijesh Chowta (BJP), Prem Chand Gupta (RJD), Ashok Kumar Mittal (AAP), and former diplomats Manjeev Puri and Jawed Ashraf. This group will visit Spain, Greece, Slovenia, Latvia, and Russia.

Sule will lead a group comprising Rajeev Pratap Rudy (BJP), Vikramjit Sahney (AAP), Manish Tewari (Congress), Anurag Thakur (BJP), Lavu SriKrishna Devarayalu (TDP), former ministers Muraleedharan and Anand Sharma, and former diplomat Syed Akbaruddin. They will travel to Egypt, Qatar, Ethiopia, and South Africa.

Centre ignores three leaders named in Congress list
Only one name suggested by the Congress — Anand Sharma — made it to the list of delegates. The remaining three, Gaurav Gogoi, Syed Naseer Hussain, and Amrinder Singh Raja Warring, were not included. Besides Tharoor, Congress leaders Manish Tewari, Amar Singh, and Salman Khurshid are part of the delegations.

With only one of the four suggested leaders being accommodated, Congress general secretary in charge of communications, Jairam Ramesh, in a statement, said it proves the complete insincerity of the Narendra Modi government and shows the "cheap political games" it plays on serious national issues.

The opposition party, however, stated that the four eminent Congress MPs/leaders who have been included at the instance of the Modi government will, of course, participate in the delegations and make their contributions.