Nation first, No compromise

When it comes to issues about national security, it is highly expected of every citizen to stay united. It is during this hour of concern that people come united irrespective of caste, religion and creed. It is normal for the people of India to fully support the government during a scenario such as war with neighbouring Pakistan. If the war is won, the result will be a tad sweeter for the ruling party too.

A political party can survive only if it can deftly read the minds of the populace. The decision to send teams of MPs from various political parties to foreign countries to explain India's position in the wake of the Pahalgam terror attack and India's retaliatory Operation Sindoor is now muddled in a controversy. It shouldn’t have been.

The central government's choice of Congress MP Shashi Tharoor as the chairman of the Foreign Affairs Committee, one of the delegations, turned controversial due to the Congress party’s opposition. These politicians from all parties across India are being sent abroad not to propagate politics but to clarify the country's position and objectives.

There is never a doubt that Shashi Tharoor, a former Minister of State for External Affairs and an internationally renowned person who has held a high position in the United Nations, is the most qualified person for this assignment. Instead of seconding the move, Congress cried foul in the selection and even made things worse with implicit criticism of the Thiruvananthapuram MP.

It is a vital need for India to bust the false propaganda spread by Pakistan with aid from global news portals. The likes of eloquent leaders such as Shashi Tharoor in the all-party delegation would only add to India’s gain.

There should be no division in India's diplomacy. Unfortunately, there is even a controversy in the first place. Apart from Tharoor, Manish Tewari, Dr. Amar Singh and some others have also been included in the delegations. It is not clear whether they will be part of this without the Congress party's permission.

It is not in Congress tradition to distance away from taking responsibility at the time of a crisis.

Despite being the leader of the opposition party, in 1994, the then Prime Minister P.V. Narasimha Rao appointed a team led by the diplomatic virtuoso A.B. Vajpayee to debunk Pakistan's false propaganda and explain India's commitment to peace at the UN Human Rights Commission.

Though lately, and after much internal conundrum, congress has approved Shashi Tharoor’s participation in the all-party delegation. It is a good sign for India.