Narendra Modi government’s picking first-time MP from Berhampore and former cricketer Yusuf Pathan for the delegation to Indonesia, Malaysia, Republic of Korea, Japan and Singapore post Operation Sindoor left the Trinamool Congress fuming, while other partners of the INDIA alliance have decided to play along.
The Trinamool is the only INDIA alliance partner to have called out the government’s unilateral approach in selecting members without consulting the parties concerned.
Yusuf was the only Trinamool MP in the 58 members delegation spread over seven teams comprising sitting MPs, former MPs and former diplomats.
“Dirty,” a Trinamool MP reacted when asked about Yusuf's inclusion.
According to sources, Yusuf had shared his passport details on receiving a call informing him about the delegation. Later in the night when he informed a senior party MP about the call, he was told to withdraw his name. Calls made to Yusuf’s number by The Telegraph Online went unanswered.
A Trinamool source said on Sunday night that the party had conveyed to the government that neither Yusuf nor any other MP, from either of the two Houses would be a part of the multi-party delegation.
Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee and other Trinamool leaders condemned the BJP-led NDA government’s bypassing the party and selecting representatives on its own.
Post Operation Sindoor, India’s targeted offensive against terror camps operating in Pakistan Occupied Kashmir and also across the border in Pakistan, the Narendra Modi government decided on a mission to foreign countries with members from across the political spectrum to place India’s case before the world.
The Congress MP from Thiruvananthapuram Shashi Tharoor, leading the delegation to the US, Panama, Guyana, Brazil and Colombia, said he had informed the party immediately after the Union parliamentary affairs minister Kiren Rijiju had called him.
“I was not the only opposition MP whom the government had called,” he told mediapersons on Sunday.
Of the four names that the leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi had sent to the government, only one, that of former Union minister Anand Sharma, was accepted by the government. Former Union minister and veteran Congressman Salman Khurshid has been made a part of the same delegation for which Yusuf was included. The same team also includes the CPM Rajya Sabha MP John Brittas.
“If it was important for the Congress MPs to be in the list, there should have been a discussion with the party leaders,” said Congress leader Jairam Ramesh. “In our country parties form the government, the government does not form the party. We have a party system, but you have raised a question mark on this. What type of politics is this? Will you decide the names of our MPs going in the delegation?”
A senior CPM leader said the party would have suggested Brittas’ name to the government, if they had been consulted.
CPM general secretary M.A. Baby said it was wrong on the part of the Modi government to ignore the political parties.
“The government should have called an all-party meeting before deciding on the delegations,” Baby told The Telegraph Online. “We have very strong criticism on the government’s approach to the delegation but in this situation we do not want to express any rift.”
The Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut too has accused the BJP of trying to create rift among the Opposition while questioning why the delegation got precedence over the all-party meeting as demanded by the Opposition parties.
“They are only interested in seeking political gains,” Raut said.