The BJP swiftly hit back, defending Tharoor’s appointment
Digital Desk: Congress MP Shashi Tharoor's nomination as the head of an all-party mission to make public Pakistan-sponsored terrorism overseas has touched off a political controversy, with the Congress accusing the central government of not heeding its proposed names.
The Centre recently constituted seven all-party delegations to travel to major world partners as part of a diplomatic offensive in the wake of Operation Sindoor. The objective is to showcase India's tough stand on terrorism, which will target Pakistan's suspected role. Tharoor, along with DMK's Kanimozhi, and BJP leaders such as Ravi Shankar Prasad and Sanjay Jha, will be on these delegations.
Congress General Secretary Jairam Ramesh strongly protested, saying the party had proposed four names for consideration, and none of them were chosen. He said that they asked for names, and we provided them. The announcement of someone else is fraudulent. While making a suggestion that Union Minister Kiren Rijiju may have talked to Rahul Gandhi and Mallikarjun Kharge only after decisions had been taken. "We are not going to alter these four names," he claimed.
The BJP quickly retaliated, defending Tharoor's appointment. Amit Malviya lauded Tharoor's diplomatic background and foreign policy expertise and said, "No one can deny Tharoor's eloquence and UN experience." BJP's Shehzad Poonawalla accused the Congress of "jealousy and insecurity" and said the party put domestic politics ahead of national interest.
Poonawalla also claimed that Congress had suggested "doubtful names," including those associated with contentious election campaign slogans such as "Pakistan Zindabad." BJP lawmaker Manoj Tiwari cautioned Congress against resisting their own party leader's induction "will not stand them in good stead.
The row highlights deeper cracks in the opposition and questions the coordination in bipartisan national campaigns. Tharoor, highly respected on both sides of the political aisle, has so far not made a public statement on the controversy.
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