Guwahati: A prominent Congress leader, Jairam Ramesh, has leveled sharp criticism against the Indian government’s recent diplomatic efforts, asserting that the nation’s global reputation is suffering due to escalating tensions with Pakistan.
Ramesh specifically targeted the dispatch of seven all-party delegations to various international locations, characterizing them as a reactive “damage control” measure rather than a proactive diplomatic strategy.
Ramesh questioned the timing and strategic rationale behind the delegations, stressing that a more cohesive approach, involving an all-party meeting convened by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, would have been more effective. He further emphasized the need for a special parliamentary session to address the complex dynamics of India’s relations with both China and Pakistan. “Congress party believes that an all-party meeting should have been done before this, and PM Modi should have chaired the meeting… Our second demand was to hold a special session of the Parliament to discuss the issues of the relationship between China and Pakistan,” he stated.
Expressing skepticism about the delegations’ potential impact, Ramesh argued that the current narrative surrounding India’s global standing had already deteriorated significantly. “You are sending 7 delegations now, but what is the difference that it is going to make? Our narrative has already gotten worse. Pakistan and India are again being compared… The narrative of ‘Vishwa Guru’ has also gotten worse,” he remarked.
Adding to his criticism, Ramesh raised concerns about the composition of the delegations, alleging that the government had excluded three names recommended by the Congress party. “This delegation is going for damage control. We have been saying that we need to stay united, and we are standing with our armed forces like a rock… When we gave 4 names, they picked only one of them and added names on their own. What type of politics is this?” he questioned.
The government’s decision to deploy seven all-party delegations stemmed from the need to present a united front against terrorism, particularly in the aftermath of the Pahalgam terror attack on April 22 and the subsequent Operation Sindoor, launched on May 7. This operation targeted terror infrastructure in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir, resulting in the deaths of over 100 terrorists affiliated with groups like Jaish-e-Mohammed, Lashkar-e-Taiba, and Hizbul Mujahideen. India’s retaliatory strikes, which followed cross-border shelling and attempted drone attacks by Pakistan, reportedly damaged multiple airbases and radar facilities across 11 Pakistani locations.
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