Key Points

Speaking to IANS, Senior Congress leader and Member of Parliament Tariq Anwar on Thursday said the party should have reconsidered its participation in these missions, especially in the absence of meaningful consultation by the government with the Opposition.

"I understand that half of the delegation has already left or is in the process of leaving. But there should have been serious deliberation on whether we should have been part of it at all,” Anwar said.

“Until the ruling party changes its confrontational attitude toward the Opposition, it’s important we think before extending support,” he added.

Anwar also questioned the government’s decision to mount an international campaign on Operation Sindoor without first taking Parliament or an all-party meeting into confidence.

“It makes little sense for the government to send delegations abroad to showcase the legitimacy of the operation when there has been no detailed briefing to the elected representatives of the country. There should have been a special Parliament session or at least an all-party meeting to share information and build a national consensus,” he argued.

Responding to queries on comments by Congress leaders like Anand Sharma, Salman Khurshid, and Shashi Tharoor who publicly supported Operation Sindoor and diplomatic missions in the aftermath, Anwar said, “There is no question of doubting the bravery of our armed forces. Everyone in the Congress, including me, has praised the courage and professionalism of our soldiers. But when we ask the government for transparency or information, we are branded as anti-national or agents of Pakistan. That’s the contradiction -- on one hand, we are insulted, and on the other, asked to represent the country abroad.”

Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Nirupam lashed out at Congress, calling it a “fractured party lacking internal coherence".

“Shashi Tharoor, Salman Khurshid, and Anand Sharma have rightly praised Operation Sindoor and acknowledged its strategic importance. The Army acted swiftly, taking out nine terrorist camps across the border. The limited nature of the mission prevented a wider war, which is in the country’s best interest,” Nirupam told IANS.

He further added that the armed forces had "avenged the massacre of Hindu pilgrims in Pahalgam", noting that key terrorist figures, including the brother of Maulana Masood Azhar, were eliminated during the precision strikes.

“This operation was executed in under 25 minutes -- a remarkable feat. Anyone questioning this bravery is doing a disservice to the nation and giving Pakistan a morale boost,” he said.

BJP leader Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi also criticised the Congress, accusing it of sending “mixed signals” on matters related to national security. “The Congress has developed a habit of creating confusion -- even within its own ranks. National security is not an issue to play politics with. Their flip-flops damage the country’s united stance against terrorism,” Naqvi told IANS.

- IANS