In a significant diplomatic initiative, Congress MP Shashi Tharoor has been appointed to head an all-party delegation that will take India’s firm anti-terror stance to the international stage. The move comes in the aftermath of Operation Sindoor, India’s cross-border military response to the deadly April 22 terror attack in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir.

The government has chosen seven Members of Parliament from various political parties, including those from the Opposition, to spearhead a message of unity and zero-tolerance against terrorism across key nations. Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju emphasized this initiative as a demonstration of “national unity above politics.”

Political unity for a national cause

The delegation, led by Shashi Tharoor, includes DMK’s Kanimozhi Karunanidhi and Supriya Sule from the NCP (Sharad Pawar faction), both representing the Opposition. BJP leaders Ravi Shankar Prasad and Baijayant Panda, along with NDA allies Sanjay Kumar Jha of JDU and Shrikant Shinde of Shiv Sena, will also lead separate groups.

All seven delegations will soon begin visits to global partner countries, including members of the UN Security Council. The mission: to share India’s strong position and consensus against terrorism, as stated by the Ministry of Parliamentary Affairs.

Tharoor, a seasoned diplomat-turned-politician, expressed pride in being entrusted with this responsibility. “When national interest is involved and my services are required, I will not be found wanting,” he stated on social media.

Expanding diplomatic footprint

The all-party outreach is expected to include leaders such as AIMIM’s Asaduddin Owaisi, Congress leaders Salman Khurshid and Manish Tewari, CPI(M)’s John Brittas, DPAP’s Ghulam Nabi Azad, Shiv Sena (UBT)’s Priyanka Chaturvedi, BJD’s Sasmit Patra, and AAP’s Vikramjeet Sawhney.

These leaders are likely to travel to multiple countries over a 10-day diplomatic tour, aiming to highlight India’s proactive counter-terrorism efforts and reinforce global cooperation against extremist violence.

Operation Sindoor aftermath and ceasefire

The outreach follows Operation Sindoor, carried out on May 7, which saw the Indian armed forces strike nine terror camps across Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir. The operation was a direct retaliation to the Pahalgam attack that claimed 26 lives.

The offensive led to the destruction of terror infrastructure linked to Lashkar-e-Taiba, Jaish-e-Mohammad, and Hizbul Mujahideen. More than 100 terrorists were reportedly neutralized.

Subsequently, tensions escalated briefly with retaliatory missile and drone activity by Pakistan, which were intercepted by Indian forces. A ceasefire agreement was brokered on May 10, bringing the four-day exchange to a halt.

Madhya Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Jagdish Devda on Friday sparked controversy with remarks made at a civil defence volunteers’ event in Jabalpur, allegedly disrespecting the Indian Armed Forces.

Devda stated, “The entire nation, including our Army and soldiers, bows at the feet of Prime Minister Narendra Modi today. His response to challenges is beyond praise.”

The comments, coming amid ongoing criticism of Minister Vijay Shah’s remarks, drew sharp condemnation from the opposition Congress, which accused the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) of systematically insulting the military.

State Congress president Jitu Patwari lambasted the BJP, saying, “First, Minister Vijay Shah equates a brave Army colonel with terrorists’ kin, and now the Deputy Chief Minister claims the Army bows to Modi. When the media questions Chief Minister Mohan Yadav, he responds with evasive nonsense.”

Patwari alleged, “Instead of disciplining these ministers, the BJP shields them, suggesting a deliberate campaign by its top leadership to demean the Armed Forces.” He vowed that the Congress would launch street protests in response.

The BJP defended Devda, accusing the Congress of misrepresenting his statement.

Madhya Pradesh BJP spokesperson Ashish Agarwal said, “The Congress has no regard for the nation or its forces. They are notorious for twisting words to fit their agenda. Jagdish Devda clearly expressed that the nation honours the courage of our soldiers and Armed Forces for their strike on Pakistan. If the Congress distorts this for political mileage, that’s their choice. Every BJP leader and worker stands firmly in saluting the valour of our forces.”

The controversy, intensified by the recent political fallout from ‘Operation Sindoor’ and the India-Pakistan ceasefire, underscores the escalating war of words between the BJP and Congress, with the opposition leveraging Devda’s remarks to challenge the ruling party’s narrative on national security and military respect.

A heated exchange erupted between Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah and Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) president Mehbooba Mufti on Friday over Abdullah’s proposal to revive the Tulbul Navigation Barrage project on Wullar Lake, following the suspension of the Indus Waters Treaty (IWT).

Mufti labelled Abdullah’s comments as “irresponsible” and “recklessly provocative,” while Abdullah retorted that Mufti’s criticism stemmed from her “desperate pursuit” of publicity and an intent to appease certain factions across the border, ignoring the IWT’s “historic injustice” to the people of Jammu and Kashmir.

In a Thursday post on X, Abdullah questioned whether work could resume on the Tulbul Navigation Barrage, stalled since the 1980s due to Pakistan’s objections under the IWT.

He wrote, “The Wullar Lake in North Kashmir hosts the Tulbul Navigation Barrage, initiated in the early 1980s but abandoned under Pakistan’s pressure citing the IWT. With the treaty now temporarily suspended, can we restart this project?”

He highlighted that the project could enable year-round navigation on the Jhelum River, boost commercial trade, employment, and tourism, and enhance downstream power generation, particularly in winter.

The Tulbul project, also known as the Wullar Lake project, aims to regulate water release from Wullar Lake during the lean months of October to February to support continuous navigation on the Jhelum. The IWT, which governed water-sharing between India and Pakistan, was placed in abeyance last month following the 22 April 2025 Pahalgam terror attack.

On Friday, Mufti criticised Abdullah’s proposal on X, calling it “deeply regrettable.” She stated, “At a time when India and Pakistan have narrowly averted all-out war, with Jammu and Kashmir suffering immense loss of life and destruction, such remarks are not only irresponsible but dangerously inflammatory.”

Mufti argued that “weaponising” water, a vital resource, was inhumane and risked escalating a bilateral issue into an international one, adding, “Our people deserve peace as much as anyone else in the nation.”

Abdullah responded sharply on X, accusing Mufti of refusing to recognise the IWT as a “betrayal” of Jammu and Kashmir’s interests due to her “craving for cheap publicity” and desire to “placate” certain groups across the border.

He wrote, “Opposing an inherently unfair treaty is not warmongering—it’s about rectifying a historic wrong that deprived our people of their rightful access to our water resources.” Abdullah reaffirmed his long-standing opposition to the IWT, pledging to continue advocating for the region’s rights.

The spat underscores lingering tensions over water resource management and regional priorities in Jammu and Kashmir, amplified by the recent ceasefire and the strategic implications of the IWT’s suspension.