TMC withdrew Yusuf Pathan from the Operation Sindoor delegation after the Centre included him without consulting Mamata Banerjee. TMC criticized the unilateral move, emphasizing internal protocol and national sensitivity.
The Trinamool Congress (TMC) has withdrawn the name of cricketer-turned-politician and Baharampur MP Yusuf Pathan from the multi-party delegation involved in Operation Sindoor. The decision comes amid growing dissatisfaction within the party over the Centre’s unilateral move of selecting Pathan without prior consultation with West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee or the party leadership.
Although no official statement has been issued clarifying the reasons for the withdrawal, party insiders have indicated that the move was prompted by what they perceive as a breach of political protocol. According to senior leaders within TMC, the Union government, led by the BJP, failed to formally communicate with the party or seek the Chief Minister’s consent before directly reaching out to Yusuf Pathan for his passport details.
A senior TMC leader, speaking on the condition of anonymity, stated, “Mamata Banerjee was not informed about Pathan’s inclusion in the delegation. The decision was made and communicated directly to the MP without any involvement of the party leadership. The BJP or the Union government cannot decide unilaterally on who represents Trinamool Congress in a multi-party platform.”
Officially, the party’s position was voiced by Derek O’Brien, TMC’s Parliamentary leader in the Rajya Sabha. O’Brien emphasized that while the party fully supports any national interest initiative undertaken by the Centre, it firmly believes that international diplomacy must remain the exclusive domain of the Union government.
The Trinamool Congress has been notably cautious in its public stance on Operation Sindoor, a military initiative through which Indian forces dismantled terror infrastructure in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir. The party leadership, including Mamata Banerjee, has refrained from making any public comments on the matter.
Recently, when senior party MP Saugata Roy made off-the-cuff remarks regarding the operation, the party swiftly distanced itself from his comments. A formal statement was released asserting, “The statement made by Prof Saugata Roy, MP, is not the opinion of the All India Trinamool Congress.” The party also issued a stern directive warning all members against making public statements on the matter, whether via media interactions or social media.
This latest episode highlights the political sensitivities surrounding national security matters and the importance regional parties place on protocol and internal discipline, especially when navigating issues of international significance.
