The government on Friday rejected the Congress list of names, which did not include Mr Tharoor and appointed him as leader of one of the seven delegations heading out after May 22
Shashi Tharoor. (Image: X)
New Delhi: Seething over the Modi government's move to appoint Shashi Tharoor as leader of one of the seven delegations to lead the diplomatic offensive against Pakistan on the global stage, the Congress on Saturday accused the government of "playing games" with a "mischievous mindset" by announcing names of heads of diplomatic outreach delegations after Operation Sindoor apart from the four given by the party. The BJP questioned the Congress for not nominating Mr Tharoor for delegation on Operation Sindoor and its choice of leaders for diplomatic outreach.
The government on Friday rejected the Congress list of names, which did not include Mr Tharoor and appointed him as leader of one of the seven delegations heading out after May 22. The Congress list included the names of Anand Sharma, Gaurav Gogoi, Raja Brar and Naseer Hussain.
In an apparent swipe at Mr Tharoor, Congress general secretary in-charge communications Jairam Ramesh said, "Congress mein hona aur Congress ka hona mein zameen-aasmaan ka antar hai (There is a difference between being in the Congress and of the Congress)."
The Congress general secretary further added, “The Congress is like the mighty Ganga, which has many tributaries… Some of them dry up and some get polluted."
Mr Ramesh said senior party leader Salman Khurshid was also approached by the government, but he told them that the party has to decide. So the MPs should be asking the party.
Mr Ramesh also hit out at the government and said, "You cannot include names of MPs (in delegations) without consulting the party." In a democratic system, when individual MPs are sent on an official delegation, MPs should seek the concurrence of the party, he said.
The Congress general secretary accused the government of playing "Narad Muni politics". He said it is "dishonest" and "downright mischievous" to ask the Congress for names when, in all probability, they had decided the names even before that.
He also alleged that the whole delegation exercise is a "diversionary and cosmetic exercise".
The Congress leader asserted that the party will not rethink the four names it has sent to the government. “Asking for four names, being given four names and not considering those names is dishonesty on the part of the government. We will not change these four names," he said.
Meanwhile, Mr Tharoor also took a dig at his own party, saying, “I am honoured by the invitation of the government of India to lead an all-party delegation to five key capitals. When national interest is involved, I will not be found wanting.”
Mr Tharoor's selection, despite Congress’s omission, underscores his diplomatic stature but highlights tensions within the party. "My party leadership is entitled to its opinion of my abilities or lack thereof, and I think that is really for them to explain. I have absolutely no comment to make on that,” the Congress MP said, adding that he had also informed his party when he got the call.
Virtually rubbing salt into the Congress' wound, the BJP said that "the Congress party’s choices to represent India at diplomatic meetings are not just intriguing, they are deeply questionable".
BJP IT cell head Amit Malviya said, “No one can deny Mr Tharoor’s eloquence, his long experience as a United Nations official, and his deep insights on matters of foreign policy. So why has the Congress Party — and Rahul Gandhi in particular — chosen not to nominate him for the multi-party delegations being sent abroad to explain India’s position on key issues?” Mr Malviya asked.
The BJP IT cell head wondered whether the decision was made out of "insecurity" or jealousy. “Is it insecurity? Jealousy? Or simply intolerance of anyone who outshines the ‘high command’?" he quipped.
( Source : Deccan Chronicle )
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