Parliamentary panel members condemn trolling of Foreign Secretary Misri, express solidarity with him

NEW DELHI: Members of the Standing Committee on External Affairs on Monday expressed their solidarity with Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri against online trolling after he had announced that India and Pakistan had reached an understanding for stopping military action following Operation Sindoor. The members said he has performed good service for the nation.

Talking to reporters after a meeting of the Standing Committee, Congress leader Shashi Tharoor said the members expressed a desire to have a resolution expressing solidarity with the Foreign Secretary in the face of the unwarranted attacks or comments, but Misri requested that there should be no resolution.

Misri briefed the members on current foreign policy developments regarding India and Pakistan in the wake of Operation Sindoor carried out by India on May 7.

India had carried out Operation Sindoor early on May 7 in response to the Pahalgam terror attack and launched precise strikes on terrorist infrastructure in Pakistan and PoJK. Indian Armed Forces responded effectively to Pakistan’s subsequent aggression and pounded its airports.

Tharoor, who heads the panel, said several questions were raised in the three-hour discussion and detailed answers were received.

“We had a very comprehensive and rich discussion. As you can see, a meeting that normally would have finished by 6 o’clock, has gone on till 7 o’clock. It was a very thorough, wide-ranging discussion. We had 24 members attending, which I think is a record for this committee. The fact is that this was a very thorough discussion. Many of the MPs had thoughtful questions to ask. There was even a desire to have a resolution expressing solidarity with the Foreign Secretary in the face of the unwarranted attacks or comments, he himself requested that there should be no resolution but it was a unanimous sentiment of the committee, that he has performed good service for the nation, we all stand with him,” Tharoor said

“That was not a formal resolution but it was definitely the wish of everyone. I also want to add that the committee has, in many ways, covered a lot of constructive ground and has left with satisfactory responses to various questions…We have had a good discussion,” he added.

He said a lengthy discussion was held with the MEA in which 24 members took part and “a lot of people had questions” and “detailed and satisfactory responses to those questions” were received.

“All committee members wanted to encourage the Foreign Secretary and announce our solidarity against everything that was said on social media against him and his family. This is absolutely wrong. The entire committee supports him. We would also like to say that he has served the nation well and we are thankful to him for that…Several questions were raised in the 3-hour discussion, and detailed answers were received for them,” he said.

India and Pakistan have reached an understanding for stopping military action following a call made by Pakistan’s DGMO to his Indian counterpart. (ANI)