The Unbearable Lightness of Being Jairam Ramesh

Congress General Secretary Jairam Ramesh seems determined to turn his party into a punching bag for its rivals, thanks to his provocative statements on India’s anti-terror diplomatic outreach. In a controversial remark, he said, “Our MPs are roaming, and so are the terrorists who struck Pahalgam.”

Even within the Congress, the statement is being viewed as yet another attempt by Ramesh to align himself closely with Rahul Gandhi’s sceptical stance on India’s response to jehadi terror. This, despite video evidence, analyses by security experts, and even admissions by the hostile neighbour, all pointing to the efficacy of Operation Sindoor. Nevertheless, Ramesh went a step further, claiming that the terrorists behind the Pahalgam attack were involved in four previous strikes. He then added that MPs in the outreach teams were “roaming freely like those terrorists.”

A livid BJP slammed Ramesh for what it called an “atrocious comparison” between terrorists and official delegations led by senior parliamentarians. “This is how the Congress undermines not just our military operations but also our successful diplomatic efforts,” said BJP spokesperson Shehzad Poonawalla.

There is growing dissonance within the Congress over India’s response to terror. Party president Mallikarjun Kharge has referred to the attacks as “chut put” (minor) skirmishes, while seasoned Congress parliamentarians have praised the strikes on jehadi camps and airbases as effective retaliation. Meanwhile, junior leaders close to the Gandhis appear to have taken it upon themselves to launch unsightly attacks on their own party elders.

At present, seven parliamentary delegations are visiting foreign capitals to build international opinion against Pakistan’s use of terror as state policy. These delegations comprise 59 MPs, including 20 from Opposition parties. Congress MP Shashi Tharoor, who is leading one of the teams, expressed a sense of national duty. “I have always said that when my services are required for the nation, I should not be found wanting,” he remarked before departing New Delhi for the five-nation outreach effort.

CongressdiplomacyJairam RameshOperation SindoorRahul GandhiShashi Tharoor