Congress member of Parliament Shashi Tharoor, who is leading a multi-party Indian parliamentary delegation on a five-nation diplomatic visit—including the United States—pointed to the symbolic significance of beginning their travel with a visit to New York's 9/11 Memorial.
Addressing the press, Tharoor explained, “As you know, we’re all heading out on this trip. Our first stop is Georgetown, Guyana, but since there’s no direct flight, we’ll be transiting through New York. This gives us an opportunity to visit the 9/11 Memorial and remind the world that we, like those being remembered there, have been victims of terrorist attacks, not just one, but a repeated series over the past four decades.”
The veteran parliamentarian also added, "I think it's quite significant that we are commencing our journey with this symbolic act. We would be eagerly waiting to celebrate Independence Day with Guyana, and when we are in the US, we will be giving updates on the information. We are going to get people to realize how we handled terror attacks and how we responded."
The delegation, headed by Tharoor, comprises Members of Parliament from across the political spectrum, showcasing an unusual instance of bipartisan harmony in international diplomacy. The group consists of Shambhavi (MP, LJP – Ram Vilas), Sarfaraz Ahmad (MP, JMM), G.M. Harish Balayogi (MP, TDP), Shashank Mani Tripathi (MP, BJP), Bhubaneswar Kalita (MP, BJP), Milind Murli Deora (MP, Shiv Sena), and Tejasvi Surya (MP, BJP).
They are accompanied by Ambassador Taranjit Singh Sandhu, whose presence highlights the Ministry of External Affairs' coordination of the mission.
The itinerary for the delegation is this: Guyana on May 25, Panama on May 27, Colombia on May 29, Brazil on May 31, and the United States on June 3. There, the MPs will meet local political representatives as well as members of the Indian diaspora at each of their destinations.
This endeavor wants to display an Indian political unity against terrorism and pursue international support for taking Pakistan to task.
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