New Delhi [India], May 17 (ANI): Asserting that the Congress is 'not going to change' the names of four MPs for the government's proposed delegations to foreign countries to explain India's stance on terrorism emanating from Pakistan, Congress General Secretary Jairam Ramesh on Saturday said that this is 'dishonest on the government's part.'

This comes after the government named Congress leader Shashi Tharoor in the list of 7 MPs who would represent India at world forums, where they would brief world leaders on Operation Sindoor.

'We were asked for names. We expected that the names we had given would be included. We hoped that the names given by the party would be included. But when we saw the press release of PIB, we were surprised. I cannot say what will happen now. Asking four names, giving four names, and announcing another name is dishonest on the government's part. It is possible that' Mr Rijiju had talked to Rahul ji and Kharge even after the government had made up their mind, but I am giving him the benefit of the doubt. But what happened is dishonest. We are not going to change these four names,' Jairam Ramesh said.

'Yesterday (Tuesday) at 12.30 pm, Rahul ji wrote a letter to Kiren Rijiju and wrote 'Dear Shri Kiren Rijiju, I am writing in follow-up of a conversation with me and Kharge ji regarding the delegation for the Foreign Countries after discussing with Kharge ji I am sending you four names Anand Sharma, Gaurav Gogoi, Raja Barar and Naseer Hussain',' Ramesh said, giving the details of the letter written to Kiren Rijiju by LoP Rahul Gandhi.

Jairam Ramesh asserted that all the people who are in Congress belong to Congress; and that there is a 'huge difference between being in Congress and being of Congress.'

He further said that the Congress party extended their support in everything, but today, when the names were announced, the party was 'surprised.'

'From April 22nd till now we were demanding that an all party meeting be called, 2 meetings were held but it was a formality, PM did not come, Leader of Opposition Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha wrote a letter for a special session should be called, there should be a detailed discussion, the purpose was that we should put our collective resolve in front of the country and the world, PM did not give any answer to this, suddenly we heard that an all party delegation will go, this shows that the narrative of the government has changed, we also welcomed this step, we said that whatever help we have to give in this diplomatic propaganda, we will do it, but the way the minister behaved, names were asked and today he announced it himself, this is not honesty, a game is being played,' Jairam Ramesh alleged.

He further reminded that in 1971, former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi sent the delegation and said that 'in the month of May, the delegation was sent. She called Jai Prakash Narayan and said, 'you should go'. Indira ji herself went to Russia from 27 to 29 September.'

'Indira ji went to Belgium, Austria, France, Germany, America between 27 October to 12 November in 1971. Indira ji told then US President Richard Nixon that 'I will do whatever is in India's interest',' the Congress leader added.

The leader demanded an all-party meeting and a session of Parliament and asked the government stand on Pakistan.

'Even today, we demand that an all-party meeting be called, a session of Parliament be called, and the resolution passed on 22 February 1994 be repeated. A discussion should be held on the government's stance on Pakistan and what is relationship with America. Why is the PM running away from the all-party meeting? Why is he running away from the Parliament?' Jairam Ramesh questioned.

Earlier today, Congress General Secretary Jairam Ramesh said that the Indian National Congress (INC) has submitted names of four MPs for the government's proposed delegations to foreign countries to explain India's stance on terrorism emanating from Pakistan.

Curiously, the name of Thiruvananthapuram MP Shashi Tharoor was missing from the list that Jairam Ramesh says the Congress submitted to the Parliamentary Affairs Minister.

Union Minister Kiren Rijiju, however, named Tharoor in the list of 7 MPs who would represent India at world forums where they would brief world leaders on Operation Sindoor. Tharoor has also accepted the government's proposal. (ANI)