NEW DELHI: The Trinamool Congress has put its foot down with a firm no to the BJP’s attempt to co-opt one of its Lok Sabha MPs to the global mission of sending India’s message post Operation Sindoor.
The TMC leadership has reportedly informed the Union government that first-time Lok Sabha MP and former cricketer Yusuf Pathan or any other party MP will not be part of the delegation to campaign against Pakistan’s cross-border terrorism.
Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee clarified that no request came to the “mother party” for names for the delegation.
“They cannot decide member’s name on their own. It is not their choice, the party [Trinamool] will decide. If they request the mother party will decide as is customary. We are totally with the Central government on external affairs policies.”
Teams led by seven MPs including the Congress’ Shashi Tharoor and Shiva Sena (UBT)’s Priyanka Chaturvedi were announced on Saturday.
“I don’t know who said this, I want to make it clear, whatever decision that Union government takes which aims at combating terrorism, safeguarding the sovereignty of the country, to protect the national interest of the party, we, the TMC will stand with the government shoulder to shoulder,” Trinamool general secretary and Diamond Harbour MP Abhishek Banerjee was quoted as saying by PTI. “But if the delegations are going, the way attempt was made by Pakistan to disrupt peace in India, we condemn it, but the TMC will decide who will go, the Centre cannot decide it unilaterally. It has to be decided by the party leadership.”
Echoing Abhishek, Trinamool’s deputy leader in the Rajya Sabha Sagarika Ghose said, foreign policy is entirely the domain of the government and it must bear full responsibility for our foreign relations.
“The Trinamool Congress stands shoulder to shoulder in total solidarity with our armed forces for effective long term deterrence against Pakistan-based terrorism. The nation, the flag and our national resolve belong to all of India and to every proud citizen,” said Ghose.
Banerjee’s comments came amid speculation over Trinamool’s participation in the seven all-party delegations being dispatched later this month to over 30 countries and the EU, as part of India’s diplomatic response to the Pahalgam terror attack and Operation Sindoor.
Agencies