Kolkata: Trinamool Congress (TMC) national general secretary Abhishek Banerjee joined one of the seven multi-party delegations that left for Japan on Wednesday to put across India’s views on terrorism emanating from Pakistan. The delegation will also convey how India carried out ‘Operation Sindoor’.
The delegation includes JD (U) MP Sanjay Jha, BJP MPs Aparajita Sarangi, Brijlal, Pradhan Barua and Hemang Joshi, Congress leader and former External Affairs minister Salman Khurshid, TMC MP Abhishek Banerjee, CPI(M)’s John Brittas and former ambassador Mohan Kumar. The delegation will also visit South Korea, Malaysia, Indonesia and Singapore as part of India’s diplomatic outreach following Operation Sindoor and the subsequent conflict between India and Pakistan. Trinamool on Abhishek’s inclusion in the delegation said on Tuesday: “His voice will echo India’s commitment to peace, justice and global cooperation.”
Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Tuesday nominated her party’s national general secretary Abhishek Banerjee to represent the party in the Centre’s diplomatic outreach team to various countries. Banerjee’s decision to nominate Abhishek came after Union parliamentary affairs minister Kiren Rijiju called her up on Tuesday morning and spoke to her about her party’s representation in the all party delegation.
The Union Parliamentary Affairs minister told Banerjee that the Centre should have consulted the party.
During the conversation, Banerjee recommended the name of Abhishek, sources said. This comes after the party declined to send Yusuf Pathan, picked by the Centre as one of the members for the delegation
The Centre is sending seven multi-party delegations to reach out to the international community on how Pakistan is sponsoring terror and India’s response to it. India is sending about 51 political leaders, parliamentarians and former ministers from different parties as members of seven delegations who will travel to world capitals to convey the country’s resolve to tackle terrorism after the Pahalgam terror attack.
Meanwhile, in a post on X, AITC stated: “Our five-member delegation reached Srinagar today to stand in solidarity with the grieving families and offer our heartfelt condolences to those who have lost their loved ones in this time of immense tragedy.” mpost