Conscious of contradicting claims by some foreign experts regarding Operation Sindoor and its aftermath, the Centre has decided to send multi-party delegations to several countries to explain the Indian point of view and gather international support on the issue of terrorism. The diplomatic outreach, evidently inspired by P.V. Narasimha Rao’s initiative in 1994 to send a delegation led by Atal Behari Vajpayee, the principal opposition leader, and his colleague, Salman Khurshid, to Geneva, to counter the move by Pakistan through the Organization of Islamic Countries, on alleged human rights violations in Kashmir, is being viewed as a masterstroke by supporters of the Narendra Modi government. However, the Congress, while agreeing to the proposal, has sent four names—Anand Sharma, Gaurav Gogoi, Nasir Hussain and Raja Warring Brar, to be its representatives.
The name of Shashi Tharoor, who many TV channels claim is to lead the team to the United States, does not figure in this list. Tharoor and the Congress have not been on the same page for quite a while and many in the party feel that the BJP was playing politics and was interested in sending those people from various outfits, who are likely to be a part of the saffron brigade in the future. There are also reservations on why the Centre has not convened an all-party meeting chaired by the Prime Minister, to apprise the country of various aspects of Operation Sindoor, particularly after US President, Donald Trump, has been tom-tomming about his role in enforcing the ceasefire between the two warring nations. There are several political analysts who also dispute the similarity between the initiative taken by P.V. Narasimha Rao in 1994 and the one now. It is being said that the Rao followed inclusive politics and had a good rapport with Vajpayee and other opposition leaders because of his long association with the Indian Parliament.
In sharp contrast, the relations between the Treasury Benches and the Opposition, border on hostility, and the Centre has tried to push in its decisions without taking others on board. The decision to send an all-party delegation also comes in the wake of many opposition leaders, particularly Shashi Tharoor, defending the government’s position and perspective better than any of the BJP spokespersons on TV and electronic media. In other words, the international outreach requires people who can communicate New Delhi’s position without being jingoistic, and in a language which is best understood by the diplomatic community. In this context, it is hard to explain, why the government has not chosen to employ the services of articulate Cabinet Ministers, such as Hardeep Singh Puri, who is a former diplomat and well versed with the international system. Tharoor, Salman Khurshid and Manish Tewari could have been good choices as also Omar Abdullah. Salman, for instance, when contacted by a Union minister, told him that it was for his party to take a decision on whom to send for such an important assignment.
It has been a tradition that when leaders of opposing parties go abroad, they speak in the same voice so far as the country goes. This practice was infringed following public statements by some leading players bringing in domestic issues in their interactions abroad. However, on Operation Sindoor, the Opposition has fully backed the government, and is disappointed that the BJP was bent upon making a political issue of this exercise for electoral gains. The need to send these delegations has also been felt since there are analysts who are convinced that India while pressing for the focus on its anti-terror onslaught, has allowed Pakistan to bring in the Kashmir matter internationally. The lack of support New Delhi has received from many nations including those which are a part of BRICS has been a cause of concern. There are also many who believe that New Delhi has missed an opportunity of capitalizing on the attacks it carried out against terrorist camps. By agreeing to the ceasefire, even if Pakistan wanted it, and notwithstanding the claims of the US President that he brokered it, India has allowed Pakistan off the hook. Brahma Chellaney, an expert on strategic affairs has described the Indian stand as a “half-pregnant” doctrine, something which has been done by previous governments as well. This half-hearted approach has negated the outstanding work done by our armed forces.
While politics is on in full swing, it is Eknath Shinde, Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister, who has silently built on the fallout, to emerge as a major player in his state, even though the media has not shown this amply. Shinde had sent a token sum to be paid to the family of the Muslim Kashmiri who died in Pahalgam, and his party was the first to raise the voice against the Turkish company engaged by the Centre for certain specialized jobs at our airports. Although it is too early to speculate, his posturing may lead to certain developments in Maharashtra at some stage. The BJP could find his actions uncomfortable in the long run and may want to rein him in. Sharad Pawar has already started talking about reunification of the NCP; the split took place with tacit understanding between him and his nephew, Ajit, many Maharashtra watchers feel. The issue right now is to somehow deal with Trump, whose continuous claim of bringing India and Pakistan together to end what he stated could have led to an “N” conflict. The foreign office has tried to play down these utterances but there needs to be clarity. Between us.