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Congress Labels Operation Sindoor Delegations as ‘PR Exercise’
The Indian National Congress has strongly criticized the Centre’s diplomatic initiative following the Pahalgam terror attack, accusing the government of using “Operation Sindoor” delegations as a mere public relations exercise. Party leaders alleged that the effort to send multiple political representatives abroad to brief foreign governments on India’s counter-terror strike is nothing but a diversionary tactic meant to deflect attention from the Modi government’s domestic failures.
Congress Calls Out Foreign Delegations as Distraction
Congress General Secretary Jairam Ramesh led the charge against the government’s move, stating, “This entire exercise is a PR gimmick.” He argued that instead of addressing critical internal security concerns, the government is busy staging foreign delegations for optics. According to Ramesh, the real issues — including the intelligence lapses leading up to the Pahalgam attack — remain unaddressed while political capital is being spent on carefully curated diplomatic appearances.
He questioned the logic behind deploying party-based delegations to various capitals under the garb of national security diplomacy, especially when transparency and accountability at home are missing. “These trips won’t compensate for the lack of internal clarity or leadership,” he added.
Demand for Accountability in Parliament
The Congress has been demanding that Prime Minister Narendra Modi convene a special parliamentary session to discuss the internal security situation and India’s counterterror response. Ramesh emphasized that the government’s refusal to hold such a session — and the Prime Minister’s absence from the two all-party meetings that were conducted — are telling signs of evasion.
“Instead of speaking in Parliament and facing the opposition on national security, the government is outsourcing its narrative abroad,” he stated, echoing sentiments expressed by Rahul Gandhi and Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge in their written requests to the PM.
Strategic Concerns Over Pakistan and China
Congress also raised deeper strategic concerns, highlighting Pakistan’s continued support for terrorism and its growing proximity to China. Ramesh noted that these geopolitical realities demand serious, institutional dialogue within the country, not symbolic briefings abroad. “There is no substitute for parliamentary oversight in a democracy, especially when national security is at stake,” he remarked.
The party cautioned that while public image abroad might be polished temporarily, ignoring domestic debate on serious issues could have long-term implications for India’s governance and strategic posture.
Allegations of Political Diversion Ahead of Polls
The Congress also criticized the announcement of initiatives like the caste census, calling it an intentional distraction. “When confronted with failure, this government always looks for another issue to push forward,” Ramesh said, alleging that the government is using communal and electoral tactics to dilute public outrage over its security failures.
The party has warned that these optics-driven efforts cannot cover up systemic weaknesses, intelligence breakdowns, and missed opportunities to secure Indian lives.
