The Trinamool Congress has decided to send its na- tional general secretary and Lok Sabha MP, Abhishek Banerjee, with the all-party delegations that will visit different countries to con- vey India’s stance on terror- ism and drum up support in the aftermath of Operation Sindoor, the party said on Tuesday.
Trinamool Congress sources said that the de- cision came after Union Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju called Trinamool supremo and West Bengal Chief Minister Ma- mata Banerjee to “pacify” her and seek her suggestions for a representative from her party to the delegations.
“We’re delighted to share that our Chairperson Smt. @MamataOfficial has nominated Nat’l GS Shri @abhishekaitc to represent Trinamool Congress in the all-party delegation for India’s global outreach against terrorism. At a time when the world must unite to confront the growing threat of terrorism, Shri Abhishek Banerjee’s inclu- sion brings both conviction and clarity to the table. His presence will not only reflect Bengal’s firm stand against terror but also strengthen India’s collective voice on the global stage,” the party shared on X.
The Centre had earlier named Berhampore Trinamool MP and former India cricketer Yusuf Pathan as a member of one of the seven diplomatic delegations that will travel to different countries to explain India’s stand on terrorism and expose Pakistan against the backdrop of Operation Sindoor.
However, Pathan later opted out after Mamata Banerjee and her nephew Abhishek Banerjee made their displeasure public. On Monday, Mamata Banerjee had said the Centre should not decide who the party nominates to the delegations.
Mamata Banerjee said the Centre did not consult the Trinamool Congress “mother party” to seek the name of its representative in the multi-party delegations, adding: “If they request me to send someone’s name, we will decide it and tell them. This is customary and is the system. We are totally with the Centre regarding the foreign policy.”
Mamata also said: “Nowadays, they (Centre) don’t inform the mother party, but only the parliamentary party. However, the parliamentary party only works for the Parliament session, it cannot take policy decisions. No requests came to us. If the request comes to us, of course, we can consider it. We are totally in favour of the country’s best interests.”
Toeing her stance, Abhishek Banerjee said the leadership of a party should decide on the names of its representatives for the diplomatic mission to counter Pakistan-sponsored terrorism, while simultaneously affirming the party’s support for the Centre in its anti-terrorism efforts. “I believe that whatever decision the Union Government takes if it aims at combatting and curbing terrorism, safeguarding the sovereignty of the nation and protecting the national interest we, as a party, will stand with the Centre shoulder-to-shoulder. But if there is a multi-party delegation being sent, it will be up to the individual party to decide its representatives,” he had told reporters at Kolkata airport before leaving for Delhi on Monday.
The international parliamentary outreach on Operation Sindoor involves a total of 51 political leaders, including current members of Parliament, former Ministers, and eight former Ambassadors. They will be divided into seven separate delegations, each tasked with visiting major world capitals to explain and assert India’s position on counterterrorism and the rationale behind Operation Sindoor.
All these developments are taking place in the wake of India’s launch of Operation Sindoor on May 7, which was described as a strong military response to the April 22 terror attack in Pahalgam, where 26 Indian citizens were killed.
During Operation Sindoor, the Indian Armed Forces carried out strategic strikes on terrorist infrastructure located in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir.
