‘Oppn MPs conveying India’s stand more effectively than counterparts in govt’

New Delhi: With India’s diplomatic delegations fanning across the globe, the Congress claimed on Tuesday that Opposition MPs are conveying the country’s stand much more effectively than their counterparts in the government.

The Opposition party also alleged that this government is being “run, inspired and operated by trolls”, and urged people to look at the difference between how the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and its supporters, and the Opposition behaved following the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack to draw lessons for posterity.

Addressing a press conference here, Congress’s media and publicity department head Pawan Khera claimed that Prime Minister Narendra Modi is behaving like a troll and delivering dialogues like “Prem Chopra and Paresh Rawal”, which do not behove the prime minister’s post.

He said the politics that was done over the naming of the members of the delegations to be sent abroad to convey India’s stand was there for everyone to see.

“There are also some people going to tourist-attraction spots and tweeting. The manner in which the Congress MPs are putting across India’s views is in front of everyone. A ruling party MP, I do not want to name him, is making poisonous (social media) posts about the Opposition daily,” Khera said, in an apparent swipe at BJP MP Nishikant Dubey.

“Opposition members very effectively, even much more than the government, are putting forward the interests of India. A clear comparison between what the MPs of the BJP and the Opposition are doing ... a clear comparison between what the BJP and its supporters and the Opposition did in the past one month ... this difference is very important to draw lessons for posterity,” he added.

The Congress had earlier said it was asked by the government to submit the names of four leaders for the multi-party delegations to be sent abroad to explain India’s stance on Pakistan-backed terrorism. The Opposition party had nominated Anand Sharma, Gaurav Gogoi, Syed Naseer Hussain and Amrinder Singh Raja Warring. Of the four, only Sharma has been included in the seven delegations visiting various countries. Four Congress leaders -- Shashi Tharoor, Manish Tewari, Amar Singh and Salman Khurshid -- who were not part of the list sent by their party have been included in the delegations.

He said when the country faced a crisis on April 22, everyone, including the Congress, demanded from Prime Minister Modi to respond to terrorism and expressed support for the government.

“Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi left his foreign tour and returned to the country. Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge immediately called a meeting of the (party’s) working committee and issued a statement, saying we are with the government at every step. After this, Rahul Gandhi first went to Pahalgam and met with the injured and local people. Then he also met with those affected by Pakistan’s cowardly firing in Poonch,” Khera said.