Kolkata: West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee today nominated Trinamool Congress general secretary Abhishek Banerjee on the Centre's all-party diplomatic mission against terrorism, as replacement for party MP Yusuf Pathan.
Banerjee had expressed dissatisfaction over Pathan's nomination to the team, and had withdrawn his name.
The all-party delegation comprises 51 political leaders, parliamentarians, and former ministers from across party lines who will be part of seven delegations traveling to world capitals to present India’s strong stance against terrorism in the wake of Operation Sindoor.
“We’re delighted to share that our Chairperson Smt. Mamata Banerjee has nominated National general secretary Shri Abhishek Banerjee to represent Trinamool Congress in the all-party delegation for India’s global outreach against terrorism,” the party posted on their official X handle.
“At a time when the world must unite to confront the growing threat of terrorism, Shri Abhishek Banerjee’s inclusion brings both conviction and clarity to the table. His presence will not only reflect Bengal’s firm stand against terror but also strengthen India’s collective voice on the global stage,” the post read.
Earlier, after the central government nominated Trinamool Congress MP Yusuf Pathan for the delegation, Chief Minister Banerjee had withdrawn his nomination, saying it was done without consulting the TMC leadership.
However, Banerjee on Monday had clarified that the TMC is not boycotting the Centre's multi-party diplomatic mission against Pakistan-sponsored terrorism and will nominate its representatives once a formal request is received, while stressing that the choice of delegates should be left to the party and not decided by the Centre.
"We were not consulted about this. These days, they only inform the parliamentary party, not the main organisation. The parliamentary party cannot make policy decisions," the Chief Minister said at the airport on Monday while enroute to North Bengal.
“When it comes to combating terrorism and safeguarding national interest, the TMC will stand firmly alongside the Union government. However, the Centre cannot unilaterally decide who represents each party — the delegations should also include family members of terror victims and army officers,” Abhishek Banerjee had said in a meeting on Monday.
However, sources in the party said that Union Law Minister Kiren Rijiju called Trinamool leader Mamata Banerjee on Tuesday morning and the duo spoke for quite some time, during which the Trinamool Congress supremo proposed that Abhishek Banerjee will represent the party's parliamentary delegation.
According to the list released by the Union Ministry of Parliamentary Affairs, Abhishek Banerjee will be one of nine members in a delegation led by JDU MP Sanjay Kumar Jha, which is set to visit Indonesia, Malaysia, the Republic of Korea, Japan, and Singapore, with departure scheduled for May 21.
The other members in this team are Aparajita Sarangi (BJP), Brij Lal (BJP), John Brittas (CPI-M), Pradan Barua (BJP), Hemang Joshi (BJP), former minister Salman Khurshid and former diplomat Mohan Kumar.
