Shashi Tharoor, Supriya Sule among MPs leading multi-party delegations for diplomatic outreach on India-Pakistan conflict

The Hindu

17-05-2025

The government will send seven all-party delegations to key partner countries, including members of the United Nations Security Council, later this month to convey India's message of zero tolerance against terrorism following the Pahalgam terror attack and Operation Sindoor.
A statement issued by the Parliamentary Affairs Ministry on Saturday said, '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.'
The Government has made a careful selection of leaders who will head the delegations, as they come from parties across the political divide and are considered articulate voices.
BJP MPs Ravi Shankar Prasad and Baijayant Panda, Congress MP Shashi Tharoor, JD(U) MP Sanjay Jha, DMK's Kanimozhi, NCP (SP) MP Supriya Sule, and Shiv Sena's Shrikant Shinde will be heading a delegation each.
While four of them are from the ruling National Democratic Alliance, three are from the opposition INDIA bloc.
After Tharoor picked to lead delegation on Operation Sindoor, Congress says govt 'playing games'
The Congress on Saturday accused the government of 'playing games' with a 'mischievous mindset' by announcing names of heads of diplomatic outreach delegations after Operation Sindoor other than the four given by the party.
The Opposition party's attack came after Shashi Tharoor, not part of the four leaders nominated by the Congress, was named as the head of a delegation to key partner countries to convey India's message of zero tolerance against terrorism following Operation Sindoor.
In an apparent swipe at Mr. Tharoor, Congress general secretary in-charge communications Jairam Ramesh said, 'Congress mein hona aur Congress ka hona mein zameen-aasmaan ka antar hai [There is a difference between being in the Congress and of the Congress].' Mr. Ramesh said senior party leader Salman Khurshid was also approached by the government and he told them that the party has to decide.
The Congress said it was asked by the government to submit names of four MPs for the all-party delegations to be sent abroad to explain India's stance on terrorism from Pakistan, and it nominated Anand Sharma, Gaurav Gogoi, Syed Naseer Hussain and Amrinder Singh Raja Warring.
Madhya Pradesh HC modifies earlier order, allows declaration of NEET-UG results nationwide
The Madhya Pradesh High Court has modified its May 15 order putting an interim stay on the declaration of the National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test - Under Graduate (NEET-UG) results nationwide and allowed that the results can be announced for all centres across the country, barring 11 odd test centres in Indore where students faced a power outage.
The modifications were made by Justice Subodh Abhyankar on Friday after Solicitor-General Tushar Mehta, appearing through video conferencing, assured the court that a reply on the details of the centres affected by power outage will be filed within two days.
Earlier on May 15, Justice Abhyankar, hearing a petition filed by a medical aspirant, had put an interim stay on the nation-wide result declaration while noting that the authorities failed to provide proper conditions to the girl student during the entrance examination held on May 4.
Power supply had been disrupted in various parts of Indore on May 4 due to bad weather, after which the student moved the High Court saying that her performance was affected due to an about two-hour-long power failure at her centre.
Mr. Mehta, appearing for the National Testing Agency (NTA) and the Central Government, submitted that the power problems were faced at 11 odd centres in Indore and hence the NTA may be allowed to declare results for other centres.
Haryana YouTuber Jyoti Rani held on espionage charge
A woman travel vlogger in Haryana's Hisar has been arrested on charges of spying, wrongful communication of information for the benefit of a foreign power and endangering the sovereignty, integrity and unity of the country for allegedly passing on secret information to Pakistan intelligence operatives.
Jyoti Rani, a resident of Agarsen Extension, was arrested following an input and 'suspicious things' were found in her mobile phone and the laptop, said Kamaljeet, Deputy Superintendent of Police, Headquarters, Hisar. 'She was continuously in contact with a Pakistani national. She has been arrested under the Official Secrets Act and the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita,' said the officer, adding that the woman was taken on five days remand.
She was called for interrogation following inputs from the Punjab Police through a letter on May 7 and was later arrested.
According to the FIR, the woman purportedly told the police during interrogation that she ran a YouTube channel, 'Travel With JO', and came in contact with Ehsan-Ur-Rahim alias Danish two years ago when she went to the Pakistan High Commission seeking a visa to the country. She stayed in contact with Rahim over phone and twice visited Pakistan, where she met his acquaintance Ali Ahwan, who arranged for her stay and travel in the country.
Chinese national held for in-flight theft, suspected to be part of global syndicate
A Chinese national, suspected to be a member of an organised global in-flight theft syndicate, has been arrested for allegedly stealing debit and credit cards from fellow passengers during a flight from Hong Kong to New Delhi, police said on Saturday.
The accused, 30-year-old Benlai Pan, was arrested upon arrival at the Indira Gandhi International (IGI) Airport on May 14 following complaints from multiple passengers aboard Air India flight AI-315, they said in an official statement.
Pan was travelling with three other Chinese nationals — 51-year-old Meng Guangyang, 42-year-old Chang Mang, 45-year-old and Liu Jie — all of whom were detained and questioned, officials said.
According to authorities, the group is suspected to be operating together as part of an international in-flight theft racket.
In Brief
U.S. President Donald Trump on Friday went on to reiterate his claim of India offering a zero-tariff deal to the United States, as he sought to yet again highlight his role in the reducing tensions between India and Pakistan. In an interview to Fox News, Mr. Trump picked up the tariff topic as he was discussing the cessation of military action between India and Pakistan. The U.S. President, who has taken to emphasising his role in the understanding reached between India and Pakistan, said that he put a pause in the tensions by bringing up trade.
The Evening Wrap will be back tomorrow