New Delhi: The Union government on Saturday (May 17) announced that seven all-party delegations are set to go abroad to “project India’s national consensus and resolute approach to combating terrorism in all forms and manifestations”.The seven teams will be led by seven MPs including the Congress’s Shashi Tharoor, the BJP’s Ravi Shankar Prasad and Baijayant Panda, the Janata Dal (United)’s Sanjay Kumar Jha, the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam’s Kanimozhi Karunanidhi, the Nationalist Congress Party (Sharadchandra Pawar)’s Supriya Sule, the and Shiv Sena’s Shrikant Eknath Shinde.“In the context of Operation Sindoor and India’s continued fight against cross-border terrorism, seven All-Party Delegations are set to visit key partner countries, including members of the UN Security Council later this month,” the ministry of parliamentary affairs said. It added: “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. Members of Parliament from different parties, prominent political personalities and distinguished diplomats will be part of each delegation.”The Wire had reported on Friday that the Union government has reached out to opposition parties to send multi-party delegations abroad in a diplomatic outreach programme to communicate India’s stand on terrorism following the Pahalgam terror attack last month and on the heels of the military conflict with Pakistan last week.Similar trips have been conducted by previous governments, including in 1994 under then-Prime Minister P.V. Narasimha Rao.While the Congress’ Lok Sabha MP Tharoor has been named by the government to lead one of the seven delegations, the party in a statement provided four different names it had sent, which did not include Tharoor.“Yesterday morning, the Minister of Parliamentary Affairs Kiren Rijiju spoke with the Congress president and the leader of the opposition in the Lok Sabha. The INC was asked to submit names of four MPs for the delegations to be sent abroad to explain India’s stance on terrorism from Pakistan,” said Congress MP and general secretary media in-charge Jairam Ramesh.“By noon yesterday May 16th, leader of the opposition in the Lok Sabha wrote to the Minister of Parliamentary Affairs giving the following names on behalf of the INC. Shri Anand Sharma, former Union cabinet minister, Shri Gaurav Gogoi, deputy leader, INC LS, Dr Syed Naseer Hussain, MP, RS, Shri Raja Brar, MP, LS.”In a separate statement, Tharoor thanked the government for its invitation to lead an all-party delegation to “present our nation’s point of view on recent events”.“I am honoured by the invitation of the government of India to lead an all-party delegation to five key capitals, to present our nation’s point of view on recent events. When national interest is involved, and my services are required, I will not be found wanting,” he said.The invitation to Tharoor, despite his name not being in the list presented by the Congress, comes days after the Thiruvananthapuram MP’s statements in interviews were seen as supportive of the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance government. He had applauded the government’s actions following Operation Sindoor and the military conflict with Pakistan.The Congress has said that Tharoor’s statements are to be seen as his personal opinion.“That is his opinion. When Tharoor speaks, it is his view and not the stand of the party,” Ramesh had said to reporters on Wednesday.The move to send multi-party delegations comes amid calls from opposition parties for a special session of parliament to discuss the Pahalgam terror attack as well as Operation Sindoor to demonstrate collective resolve. The government has not yet heeded such calls.The move also comes amid US President Donald Trump’s continued claims of having mediated a ceasefire between India and Pakistan that brought an end to the four-day long military standoff following Operation Sindoor, which has been questioned by opposition parties.Operation Sindoor saw Indian military forces launch strikes on nine targets in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir in the early hours of May 7.This was followed by four tense days that saw missiles and drone strikes that ended on May 10 with Trump announcing a ceasefire which he claimed to have mediated.The Ministry of External Affairs on May 13 publicly asserted that the decision to halt hostilities followed Indian military action that compelled Pakistan to stand down, but did not respond to questions on whether India had lodged protests over Trump’s remarks about using trade as leverage, his suggestion of mediating on Kashmir or his references to the nuclear dimension of the conflict.This report has been edited since publication to remove a 2008 reference which is unconfirmed.