In a clear sign of growing friction between the Centre and opposition parties over foreign policy coordination, Trinamool Congress (TMC) MP Yusuf Pathan will not participate in the Union Government’s newly launched diplomatic initiative, Operation Sindoor. The outreach programme, led by a multi-party parliamentary delegation, aims to expose Pakistan’s role in harbouring terrorists and build international consensus on India’s zero-tolerance policy towards terrorism.

Pathan, who represents Baharampur in the Lok Sabha, was reportedly included in the delegation list without prior consultation with the TMC leadership. This sparked strong objections from the party.

“How can the Union Government decide on the representative of Trinamool? They should have held discussions with the opposition to decide which representative a party will send. How can the BJP decide which representative Trinamool will send?” said Abhishek Banerjee, TMC's National General Secretary.

The Operation Sindoor initiative involves seven parliamentary groups, each led by a Member of Parliament, tasked with visiting 30 countries to counter what the government calls "global misinformation" and to assert India’s firm stance against cross-border terrorism sponsored by Pakistan.

However, senior TMC leaders confirmed that neither Yusuf Pathan nor any other TMC MP would participate in the delegations. “We believe that the nation is above all, and we pledged our support to the Union government to take whatever action was needed to protect our great country. Our Armed Forces have made our nation proud and we are forever indebted to them,” a senior party leader told Hindustan Times.

“Foreign policy is entirely within the domain of the Union government. Therefore, let only the Union government decide our foreign policy and take complete responsibility for it,” the leader added.