Foreign Secretary Misri briefs Parliamentary panel on External Affairs; Tharoor says satisfactory responses to various questions

New Delhi [India], May 19 (ANI):  The Parliamentary Standing Committee on External Affairs had a comprehensive meeting on Monday with Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri briefing members on current foreign policy developments regarding India and Pakistan in the wake of Operation Sindoor on May 7 and subsequent understanding reached between the two countries to stop military action and firing. 

The well-attended meeting lasted nearly three hours. Congress leader Shashi Tharoor, who heads the Standing Committee on External Affairs, said the members expressed desire to have a resolution expressing solidarity with the Foreign Secretary in the face of the unwarranted attacks or comments. Tharoor said the Foreign Secretary requested that there should be no resolution.

Tharoor said there was a unanimous sentiment of the committee, that he Foreign Secretary has performed good service for the nation

"We had a very comprehensive and rich discussion. As you can see, a meeting that normally would have finished by 6 o'clock, has gone on till 7 o'clock. It was a very thorough, wide-ranging discussion. We had 24 members attending, which I think is a record for this committee. The fact is that this was a very thorough discussion. Many of the MPs had thoughtful questions to ask. There was even a desire to have a resolution expressing solidarity with the Foreign Secretary in the face of the unwarranted attacks or comments, he himself requested that there should be no resolution but it was a unanimous sentiment of the committee, that he has performed good service for the nation, we all stand with him,” Tharoor said

“That was not a formal resolution but it was definitely the wish of everyone. I also want to add that the committee has, in many ways, covered a lot of constructive ground and has left with satisfactory responses to various questions...We have had a good discussion,” he added. 

He said a lengthy discussion was held with the MEA in which 24 members took part and “a lot of people had questions”. 

“Detailed and satisfactory responses to those questions were received. All committee members wanted to encourage the Foreign Secretary and announce our solidarity against everything that was said on social media against him and his family. This is absolutely wrong. The entire committee supports him. We would also like to say that he has served the nation well and we are thankful to him for that...Several questions were raised in the 3-hour discussion, and detailed answers were received for them," he said. 

Earlier, answering a question on the all-party delegation to convey India's message of zero-tolerance against terrorism to the designated foreign countries, he said the briefing for his delegation will be held on Friday. 

“So, honestly, I am not going to say anything right now. Some of the teams are leaving earlier and that's why they need to have their meeting tomorrow. But our delegation is leaving a bit later because the US has a big Memorial Day weekend and the Congress in the US is not session until June 2. So, there is no point in arriving there too early. So, we are arriving later and leaving later... May 24, I believe...We are going first to Georgetown (Guyana), Panama, Columbia, Brazil and then finally to the US,” he said. 

TMC MP Abhishek Banerjee, who took part in the meeting of Standing Committee, said the party will stand shoulder to shoulder with the central government when it comes to fighting and combating terrorism, protecting sovereignty and national interests. 

“As far as the delegation of MPs is concerned, I have said that the Centre cannot unilaterally decide who will go from which party. They have to ask for names. If you ask TMC for five names, then TMC will nominate five members. Now, in the afternoon, I got news that the parliamentary minister has said that they are representing the country. I completely agree with him; they are actually representing the country. So when it comes to representing the country, I think we should agree together and build a consensus and instead of sending MPs, we should send family members of martyrs and victims' families and survivors,” he said. 

“We should send brave armed forces officers who led Operation Sindoor, who devoted their lives for the country. How many such members are actually part of the delegation? Can the Union Minister answer? So this is not the time to do politics. Politics can take a backseat...I am the general secretary of the party. No one has been contacted...I believe that the whole world should know how Pakistan has helped terrorism in the last 5-6 decades and the world needs to come together and fight it collectively. But who will go from my party will not be decided by the BJP. The party will decide," he added. 

In the context of Operation Sindoor and India's continued  fight against cross-border terrorism, seven   all-party Delegations are set to  visit key partner countries, including members of the UN Security Council.

The all-party delegations will project India's national consensus and resolute approach to combating terrorism in all forms and manifestations. They would carry forth to the world the country's strong message of zero-tolerance against terrorism.

Members of Parliament from different parties, prominent political personalities, and distinguished diplomats will be part of each delegation .

The MPs, who will lead the delegations are Shashi Tharoor (INC), Ravi Shankar Prasad and Baijayant Panda (BJP),  Sanjay Kumar Jha (JD-U), Kanimozhi Karunanidhi (DMK), Supriya Sule (NCP) and Srikant Eknath Shinde (Shiv Sena).

India had carried out Operation Sindoor on early on May 7 in response to Pahalgam terror attack and launched precise strikes on terrorist infrastructure in Pakistan and PoJK. India responded effectively to subsequent Pakistan’s aggression and pounded its airports. 

The countries have reached an understanding for stopping military action following a call made by Pakistan's DGMO to his Indian counterpart.  (ANI)