Absolutely not getting into that subject: Tharoor on Congress’ objections on all-party delegations

Congress MP Shashi Tharoor on Monday declined to join issue with some opposition parties, including his own, over the government’s choice of MPs from their ranks for all-party delegations to foreign capitals following Operation Sindoor.

“I am absolutely not getting into that subject,” he told reporters as the chairman of Parliament’s Standing Committee on External Affairs arrived for its meeting, which is being briefed by Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri on the India-Pakistan military conflict after the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack.

Tharoor has been chosen by the BJP-led government to head one of the seven all-party delegations. His group will visit the US and four other countries.

The names of Tharoor and two other Congress MPs, who are members of other all-party delegations, had not figured among the four suggested by the main opposition party to the government.

The Congress and the Trinamool Congress, which has asked its sole representative Yusuf Pathan to opt out of the delegation, have criticised the government for not seeking their leaderships’ consent for its choice of their leaders for the diplomatic outreach.

Accepting the nomination to lead the delegation to the US and four other countries, Tharoor had said in a post on X, “I am honoured by the invitation of the government of India to lead an all-party delegation to five key capitals, to present our nation’s point of view on recent events.”

“When national interest is involved, and my services are required, I will not be found wanting. Jai Hind!” he had added.