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MPs take India’s message to the world

opinionMPs take India’s message to the world

Parliament might run smoothly if the government includes major parties in official delegations to the UN and other conferences.

NEW DELHI: Centuries ago, villagers used to gather at temples to flag problems which they were concerned about. They also narrated issues they faced with neighbouring villages. Given the gravity of the situation, village elders sent some members who were supposedly good at communicating to the concerned village to resolve the issue amicably. When the response was negative and the other party resorted to acts of violence, it was decided to retaliate forcefully.

When false allegations were labelled to tarnish the image and prestige of the village, a delegation was sent to various neighbouring villages to narrate its case and expose the falsehood of the opponents. So, the use of delegations to convey the correct narrative has a long history in India. Po st In de p e n de n c e, Prime Minister P.V. Narasimha Rao invited the Leader of the Opposition, Atal Bihari Vajpayee to lead a delegation to the UN Human Rights Commission in Geneva in 1994 to refute Pakistani allegations of human rights violations in J&K.

What distinguishes the latest Parliamentary delegations is the large size (59 MPs), meticulously chosen from the Treasury benches and the Opposition and the 30 countries in the Americas, EU, Africa and Asia that they are visiting. It was a smart move; all the MPs have conducted themselves most responsibly and articulated India’s viewpoints strongly but coherently, persuasively and in a dignified manner. Their bonhomie and camaraderie make one wonder if they really belong to different opposition parties.

Their informed comments have created quite a buzz and enhanced broader understanding of India’s stand. After the brutal killings of 26 innocent tourists in Pahalgam on 22 April 2025 in the presence of women and children after ascertaining their religion which outraged the whole nation cutting across party lines, ideological leanings, faiths, region and languages, Government of India had to act and act forcefully as this terrorist attack wasn’t an isolated case; it was the continuation of a series of terrorist attacks carried out by Pakistan based terrorist groups which have been on the UN list of terrorists for years. They have extensive terrorist centres across the country where they train terrorists with the full knowledge and support of the Pakistani army and the ISI which use terrorism as part of state policy.

The visuals of the coffins of dead terrorists wrapped in Pakistani flags and being given official funeral in the presence of Pakistan army officers in uniform removed the fig leaf that terrorists weren’t an extension of the government. India’s precision strikes on May 7 hit the Chinese supplied air defence system in Pakistan and destroyed centres belonging to JEM, LET and Hizbul Mujahedeen, killing over 110 terrorists including 10 members of the family of Masood Azhar.

On the morning of 10May, inside 25 minutes, India’s Brahmos missiles destroyed 9 air bases and military installations deep in Punjab and close to the air command centre; it shook the Pakistan army, prompting it to ask the government to reach out to Washington and seek its intervention. US Vice President J.D. Vance called PM Modi at President Trump’s behest. He was, however, told that if Pakistan wanted a cessation of firing, its military must approach the Indian military. This led to a call by the DGMO of Pakistan to his Indian counterpart and seek a halt to the exchange of firing. His proposal was accepted by the Indian DGMO. The rest is history.

The Modi doctrine enunciated in his address to the nation on 12 May and the new normal drawn stressed left none in Pakistan in any doubt about what India would do if Pakistan dared to indulge in another misadventure. India already possesses irrefutable evidence of Pakistan having become the epicentre of international terrorism. Evidently, there is compelling case for the international community to support India in her fight against the menace of terrorism and pressurise Pakistan to end its terrorist producing industry.

Besides Tharoor, fivetime MP, Asaduddin Owaisi, leader of the All India Majlis e Ittehadul Muslimeen emerges as an effective voice of India’s case against Pakistan. He condemned the terrorists who misuse the Quran for committing crimes and demanded that Pakistan be put back in the grey list of FATF for nurturing terrorists and exporting terrorism. On his return, when a television anchor asked him how he, who was often accused of being anti India, was being hailed as an advocate of India’s unity, he shot back: this proves India’s democracy is working. DMK leader Kanimozhi, whose delegation included Senior MPs and whose party has been having a running battle with the Centre about alleged attempts to impose Hindi, floored the questioner who asked what was her language and she said, “my language is unity in diversity”.

Shiv Sena MP Priyanka Chaturvedi mocked Shehbaz Sharif for having admitted that he was sleeping when he was informed of India’s attack by General Munir. She also took Bilawal Bhutto to task and reminded him how his mother was killed in broad daylight while campaigning. Former EAM Salman Khurshid’s cryptic remark: why should it be so difficult to be patriot is a veiled criticism of the Congress party whose leaders have been taking pot shots at the Congress MPs included in the delegations for embracing what they allege is the BJP narrative. Isn’t there a template? Parliament might run smoothly, if the government includes the leaders, deputy leaders and whips of major parties in official delegations to the UN and other conferences.

The delegations have successfully conveyed how strong Indian democracy is and how united are the political leaders to defend India, applaud the bravery and valour of soldiers and support the government in the face of external threats. However, their valiant efforts would have limited impact on the western narrative as it is mostly formed by who is spearheading the narrative rather than the facts behind it.

When the POTUS announces on his social network that he has brokered a ceasefire between India and Pakistan and repeats it in the Oval Office and in Riyadh and gets a standing ovation and repeats it when the South African President Ramaphosa is in the Oval Office, it conjures up an international narrative difficult to dispel.

When he playfully says: I told them, guys don’t fight, let’s do trade and refers to the strong leadership in India and Pakistan in the same breath, we may feel aghast. When the commerce secretary says in court that the President used trade to broker a ceasefire between India and Pakistan, our protestations are brushed aside. Similarly, the western media has been claiming that the Chinese weapons were great and shot down Rafale jets. In an AI generated video, President Trump wonders why India has spent billions of dollars on Rafale jets that were downed by Chinese missiles and claims to have spoken with Macron, who responded that there was nothing wrong with the jets, the Indian pilots didn’t know how to fly them. Sadly, fake news is damaging India’s narrative. * Surendra Kumar is a retired Indian ambassador.

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