Last Updated:May 19, 2025, 14:56 IST

Seven groups of all-party delegations are set to present India’s case post the Pahalgam terror attack and the cross-border Operation Sindoor to the key countries.

West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee (Credits: PTI)

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Monday took a swipe at the Central government, alleging that the Trinamool Congress (TMC) was never informed about the delegation visiting the key partner countries of India after Operation Sindoor.

Taking to X (formerly Twitter), Banerjee said, “The government never informed us about the delegation visit. They only informed the parliamentary party. If they would have informed us, no request came to us, else we would have supported the plan or any government policies… They cannot decide the name of the members by themselves.”

Notably, seven groups of all-party delegations are set to present India’s case post the Pahalgam terror attack and the cross-border Operation Sindoor to the key countries, including the US, France, Belgium, Germany, the UK, Italy, UAE, among several others.

Banerjee’s remarks came on the same day when TMC on Monday clarified that it supports India’s global outreach against terrorism, a day after it was reported that the party had opted out of the Centre’s initiative to send seven multi-party delegations abroad.

Raising concern over the process through which party representatives were selected for official delegations, TMC National General Secretary Abhishek Banerjee said, “We will stand shoulder to shoulder with the Union government in any step taken to fight terrorism and protect the nation. We have no objection to the delegations being sent. Pakistan’s actions are unacceptable, and India must present its case globally. However, the Centre cannot decide who will represent our party. That is the prerogative of the party itself.”

He added that TMC is not boycotting the delegations but expects formal communication and party-level consultation.

Meanwhile, CM Mamata Banerjee also claimed that TMC was not informed about the members of the party who will represent India abroad, except for the parliamentary party.

“No request for delegate names was made to the mother party—only the parliamentary party was informed. It is not for the BJP or the Centre to decide who represents Trinamool. If a request is made, the mother party will take the decision, as is customary. We fully support the Centre’s external affairs policy” she said.

Earlier on Sunday, News18 reported that the TMC asked its MP Yusuf Pathan not to be part of the delegation, stating no formal reason.

BJP Hits Back At Mamata Banerjee

BJP leader Amit Malviya hit back at Banerjee and said that her decision to force the TMC MP to withdraw from the multi-party delegation is unfortunate.

“This is a Government of India delegation and should have been kept above partisan politics. Members of Parliament are representatives of the people as well. It sends a subliminal message that Mamata Banerjee and her party are unwilling to speak out against Pakistan-sponsored terrorism. What is worse is that while a caucus of senior party apparatchiks prevailed—likely because they were not part of the delegation—other senior TMC MPs are now sending feelers to be included,” he wrote on X.

He added that Mamata Banerjee represents “the worst kind of politics, and unfortunately, West Bengal is bearing the brunt of it.”

Centre’s Outreach Plan

The Centre plans to reach the world to present India’s stand on terrorism. The Ministry of External Affairs, in coordination with the Ministry of Parliamentary Affairs, is sending 51 leaders—including sitting MPs and former ministers—from various political parties to 32 countries and the EU headquarters.

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