In a sharp escalation of political tension, the Congress on Saturday accused the Modi government of betrayal and “Narad Muni politics” after former Union minister Shashi Tharoor—who was not among the four MPs nominated by the Congress—was named as head of an all-party delegation following Operation Sindoor. The move sparked outrage within the party, which claimed it was deliberately sidelined in the planning of India’s global diplomatic outreach against terrorism.
Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh called the government’s actions “mischievous” and “dishonest,” asserting that the names submitted by the Congress—Anand Sharma, Gaurav Gogoi, Syed Naseer Hussain, and Raja Warring—were ignored despite a formal request from the Parliamentary Affairs Ministry. “There is a difference between being in the Congress and of the Congress,” Ramesh quipped in a pointed remark widely interpreted as a jab at Tharoor.
Ramesh further accused the Centre of staging a “cosmetic exercise” to distract from its refusal to convene a special parliamentary session on Operation Sindoor, as demanded by Congress leaders Rahul Gandhi and Mallikarjun Kharge. Despite Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s silence on the issue, and absence from all-party meetings, the government swiftly moved ahead with announcing the delegations—leaving the Congress blindsided by a press release from the PIB.
The Congress maintains that it will not revise its list of nominated MPs and condemned the Centre’s act of announcing its own names after seeking party consensus as “dishonest” and a political game. “We’re playing with a straight bat,” said Ramesh, “but the government has chosen bodyline tactics.”
The Ministry of Parliamentary Affairs, however, painted a different picture—calling the seven-delegation initiative a powerful reflection of national unity beyond party lines. Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju reiterated that the move was aimed at showcasing India’s united stand on zero tolerance toward terrorism. Tharoor, known for his articulate defense of India’s anti-terror strikes, is expected to lead the delegation to the United States.
In moments that matter most, Bharat stands united.
— Kiren Rijiju (@KirenRijiju) May 17, 2025
Seven All-Party Delegations will soon visit key partner nations, carrying our shared message of zero-tolerance to terrorism.
A powerful reflection of national unity above politics, beyond differences.@rsprasad @ShashiTharoor… pic.twitter.com/FerHHACaVK
While the government frames the effort as an inclusive national mission, Congress has made it clear it sees the maneuver as yet another instance of the Modi administration undermining opposition voices and coopting bipartisan support for international optics.
