‘Politics within the country is our right’ Here's what multi- party delgation from India will tell the world

Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri on Tuesday briefed three of the seven multi-party delegations ahead of their visits to different countries to put across India's stand following the Pahalgam terror attack and Operation Sindoor.

After the briefing by Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri, Congress leader Salman Khurshid said that there was no interference by anyone in the understanding between India and Pakistan.

"There was no mediation. But when such things happen in the worlds different people try to send a message. But whatever has happened, has happened only between the two nations. When the matter escalated, it was between our two nations. When it ended, it ended between the two nations. It was initiated by the Pakistan DGMO, they said that we should end this. We said that it should be done if they are ready," Khurshid, the former Minister of External Affairs said.

"Politics within the country is our right, our duty; it is different. But outside the country, what we have to say, is different," he said.

Members of the delegations headed by JD(U)'s Sanjay Jha and Shiv Sena's Shrikant Shinde attended the briefing to detail their agenda and its nuances.

"Our message to world leaders will be that enough is enough and that Pakistan has acted like a thief asked to probe his own crime whenever India has in the past trusted its words on acting against terrorism," JD(U) leader Sanjay Jha said.

Jha is leading a delegation to Japan, Singapore, South Korea, Malaysia and Indonesia.

Shiv Sena leader Shrikant Shinde, who is leading a delegation to the UAE and some African countries, said they will highlight Pakistan's links to terror incidents in India.

Misri, sources said, briefed MPs and other members of the delegations that Indian action was targeted against terror sites in Pakistan and Pak-occupied Kashmir, and not against military installations and civilians. It was only after Pakistan's attempts to attack Indian military installations and the civilian population that India hit back, he said.

TMC MP Abhishek Banerjee, who was included at the last minute after his party protested the government's "unilateral" decision to pick its MP Yusuf Pathan, also joined the meeting. Banerjee is part of the delegation led by Jha which will be travelling to Japan, South Korea, Malaysia, Indonesia and Singapore.

“Different things are being spread, especially by the media in Pakistan - what happened on 7th May, what happened on 22nd April, what happened between 7th to 11th May. They are spreading lies across the world,” said BJP leader SS Ahluwalia

Sources said the major talking points of the meeting were that India has suffered from terror for such a long time and that Pakistan has tried to spread terror everywhere.

“While India focused on economic development Pakistan's focus was on terror,” the meeting discussed.

That Pakistan was the first to defy ceasefire on several occasions and that Pakistan attacked many cities was also discussed. The leaders discussed that it was important for countries to realise the design of Pakistan.

India decided to send seven all-party delegations, each led by a prominent leader from various political parties, to different countries to highlight India's zero-tolerance policy towards terrorism.

Union Minister Kiren Rijiju had earlier released the list of members who will be part of each of these delegations. The list includes Members of Parliament from various parties, which have been divided into seven groups consisting of 8-9 members. A leader has been assigned for each group who will lead the delegation on a global level.

The delegation will meet parliamentarians, think tanks, and the Indian community. The briefing will mainly focus on Pahalgam and the earlier attacks.

The tour is expected to last 10 days, commencing on May 21. The parliamentarians' groups will visit several key world capitals, including the United States, the United Kingdom, the United Arab Emirates, South Africa, and Japan.

(With agency inputs)