Mumbai, May 17: Senior Maharashtra Congress leader Husain Dalwai on Saturday welcomed the central government’s initiative on constituting an all-party parliamentary delegation that will visit major global partner nations, including member countries of the United Nations Security Council, to share information about India’s anti-terrorism policies, military actions, and ‘Operation Sindoor’. He called it a commendable step toward exposing the real face of Pakistan on the international stage.

Speaking to Media, Dalwai emphasised the need to highlight, at global forums, the damage inflicted on India — especially Jammu and Kashmir — by Pakistan.

He stated that, for the first time, the government is including leaders from all political parties in such a delegation, allowing a united front to present the truth about Pakistan’s activities.

Questions were raised over the inclusion of Congress MP Shashi Tharoor in the delegation, as his name was not on the Congress’ official list.

Clarifying the matter, Dalwai said, “The government itself included Shashi Tharoor in the delegation. The Congress had finalised and submitted four names. If there are any internal concerns, the party’s central committee will address them.”

Tharoor’s recent praise of Prime Minister Narendra Modi has sparked speculation that this may be the reason for his exclusion from the Congress’ submitted list.

Responding to this, Dalwai noted, “If a leader adopts an independent political stance, the party certainly takes it into consideration. However, such decisions lie with the party leadership.”

Dalwai also described the government’s delegation initiative as a step in the right direction. He said this is the first time the BJP-led government is seriously sending a multi-party delegation abroad to present the extent of damage caused by Pakistan.

He emphasised the importance of gaining international support, particularly on the Kashmir issue. Citing recent Pakistani statements, Dalwai remarked that India’s military operations have created panic across the border.

“Had our soldiers been given a little more time, Pakistan-occupied-Kashmir (PoK) might also have been freed,” he added.

Commenting on the INDIA bloc, Dalwai stated that the coalition remains intact. He confirmed that Opposition parties in Maharashtra will contest the upcoming Zilla Parishad and Municipal Corporation elections together.

“Maharashtra Congress President Nana Patole recently met Uddhav Thackeray, and it has been decided that we will fight these elections unitedly,” he concluded.

This comes after senior Congress leader P Chidambaram on Thursday praised the BJP, describing it as “formidably organised” across all fronts. However, he also expressed doubts about the unity of the INDIA bloc, admitting he was uncertain whether the Opposition alliance remained intact.

Mumbai, May 17: Shiv Sena MP Shrikant Eknath Shinde on Saturday expressed his heartfelt thanks to the Centre and Prime Minister Narendra Modi for appointing him to lead one of the all-party delegations that will travel to key partner nations to highlight India’s resolute stance against terrorism.

The mission comes in the wake of the April 22 terror attack in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir, which claimed the lives of 26 innocent people and involved two Pakistani terrorists.

Shinde said the delegation would clearly articulate India’s zero-tolerance policy on terrorism and unmask Pakistan’s continued patronage of terror elements operating from its soil.

These comments come as the Indian government gears up to dispatch seven bipartisan delegations to prominent global capitals as part of its diplomatic counteroffensive.

Writing on X, Shinde said, “Nation Always First..!! As part of ‘Operation Sindoor’ and India’s ongoing efforts to combat cross-border terrorism, seven all-party delegations are scheduled to visit key partner nations, including members of the United Nations Security Council, later this month.”

“I have the honour of leading one of these delegations. We will firmly convey to the international community that terrorism has no place in India, and that it is Pakistan which continues to nurture terrorism on its own soil,” he added.

He further underlined the importance of political unity on such issues.

“When it comes to matters of national interest, there is no division, only duty. It is a privilege to serve my country in this capacity, and I will carry out this sacred responsibility with unwavering devotion and a resolute commitment to India’s zero tolerance stance against terrorism,” Shinde stated.

He concluded his message with a note of gratitude: “I extend my heartfelt gratitude to Hon’ble Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the Central Government for entrusting me with this important responsibility. Jai Hind!!”

The delegations will include Members of Parliament Shashi Tharoor from the Congress, Baijayant Panda and Ravi Shankar Prasad from the BJP, Sanjay Kumar Jha from the JD(U), Kanimozhi Karunanidhi from the DMK, Supriya Sule from the NCP (SP), and Shrikant Shinde from the Shiv Sena.

These leaders are expected to visit several important nations such as the United States, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, South Africa, Egypt, and Japan later this month.

According to the Ministry of Parliamentary Affairs, the initiative is aimed at presenting a unified Indian political front against terrorism while building international consensus to hold Pakistan accountable for fostering terror on its territory.

Other Members of Parliament expected to be part of the delegations include BJP leaders Anurag Thakur, Rajiv Pratap Rudy, and Tejasvi Surya, TDP MP Lavu Sri Krishna Devarayalu, Congress MP Manish Tewari, and AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi.

Mumbai, May 17: The Maharashtra government, on Friday, in a bureaucratic reshuffle transferred 27 Indian Police Service (IPS) officers in the state.

Prasad Akkanvaru, who is the principal of the police training centre at Marol, has been appointed as the Deputy Inspector General (DIG) of police of Maharashtra State Security Corporation; Pune Rural Superintendent of Police, Pankaj Deshmukh, as Pune Additional Police Commissioner; A. Gavkar, who is the Deputy Police Commissioner (Prohibition) as DIG state CID (administration); G. Shridhar, who is the DIG of State CID has DIG, police communication in department of information technology and transport; and Mokshada Patil, who is Commander in State Reserve Police Force (SRPF) has been appointed as SRPF DIG.

The state government has transferred Rakesh Kalasagar, Commander in SRPF as Railways Commissioner; Priyanka Narnavare, Commander in SRPF as Additional Police Commissioner (Traffic) in Mumbai; Arvind Salve, Superintendent of Police of highway security as Joint Director of Maharashtra Police Academy, Nashik; Suresh Mengde, Superintendent of Police and Chief Security Officer, CIDCO in the same post after his promotion as DIG; and Dhananjay Kulkarni, Superintendent of Police of Ratnagiri as Additional Police Commissioner in special branch, Mumbai.

The government has transferred Vijay Magar, principal of police training centre at Latur as SRPF DIG in Pune; Rajesh Bansode, Superintendent of Police in wireless department, Pune, as Additional Police Commissioner, Pune city; Vikram Deshmane, Superintendent of Police in Nashik rural as Additional Police Commissioner Central Regional Division, Mumbai; and Rajendra Dabhade, Superintendent of Police, civil rights protection at Thane as Additional Police Commissioner, Nagpur.

The government has transferred S.T. Rathod, Additional Police Commissioner (South) in Nagpur as DIG anti-narcotics task force, P.P. Shevale, Additional Police Commissioner (North) in Nagpur as DIG in anti-terrorist force, Mumbai; A.H. Chavaria, Additional Police Commissioner (Administration) in Pune city as Police Commissioner in Amravati and Vinita Sahu, Additional Police Commissioner (protection and security) in Mumbai as Additional Police Commissioner of Armed Police Force, Mumbai.

The government has transferred Anil Paraskar, additional police commissioner, central regional division, Mumbai, as additional police commissioner protection and security, Mumbai; Shailesh Balkawde, additional police commissioner (crime), Pune city, as additional police commissioner (crime), Mumbai; M. Ramkumar, additional police commissioner (traffic), Mumbai, as director of Maharashtra state intelligence institute, Pune; Shashikumar Meena, additional police commissioner (crime), Mumbai, as additional police commissioner, Nagpur city; and Aarti Singh, who was on waiting for her posting, as the joint police commissioner (Intelligence), Mumbai.

The government has shifted Pravin Patil, additional police commissioner (south west division), Pune city, as additional police commissioner, Nagpur city; Sanjay Patil, additional police commissioner (crime), Nagpur city, as additional police commissioner, Pune city; Vasant Pardeshi, additional police commissioner, Pimpri Chinchwad, as additional police commissioner, Nagpur city; and S.D. Awhad, DIG, state CID, Pune, as additional police commissioner, Pimpri Chinchwad.