Not Yusuf Pathan, But TMC Names Abhishek Banerjee In Op Sindoor Delegation

TMC chief and West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee had objected to the Centre talking to Pathan directly without taking the party leadership in confidence. 

Earlier, the Centre chose Yusuf Pathan to be a part of the delegation.

Source : PTI

TMC has named MP Abhishek Banerjee for one of the delegations set to go abroad to convey India's message on Operation Sindoor. Earlier, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju had called Yusuf Pathan and he had agreed to be a part of the delegation.

Pathan's name was announced as part of a delegation led by Janata Dal (United) under the leadership of Sanjay Jha, going to Indonesia, Malaysia, Korea, Japan, and Singapore.

TMC chief and West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee had objected to the Centre talking to Pathan directly without taking the party leadership in confidence. 

Banerjee, speaking to the media at the Kolkata airport, also said her party was not boycotting the Centre's multi-party diplomatic mission aimed at countering Pakistan-sponsored terrorism and would send its representatives once a formal request is received from the Centre.

"It is wrong to say that we are boycotting or not going. They need to inform the party.

"The parliamentary party discusses the bills in the Parliament. It takes decisions regarding the Parliament, and that too, after consulting with the party. I am the chairperson of the parliamentary party in the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha," Banerjee said.

"However, we are never informed. We will definitely send a representative if they inform us. Why wouldn’t we? There is no point of controversy here. We are fully with the government," she said.

The Centre on Sunday announced the names of members of seven delegations, which will consist of political leaders, parliamentarians and former ministers from various parties, travelling to world capitals to put across India's resolve to tackle terrorism against the backdrop of Operation Sindoor.

The delegations are being led by Baijayant Panda, Ravi Shankar Prasad (both BJP), Sanjay Kumar Jha (JDU), Shrikant Shinde (Shiv Sena), Shashi Tharoor (Congress), Kanimozhi (DMK) and Supriya Sule (NCP-SP), and will visit a total of 32 countries and the EU headquarters in Brussels, Belgium.