Yusuf Pathan withdraws from India’s anti-terror initiative, BJP focuses on Mamata Banerjee.

The BJP charged West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee with pressuring Trinamool Congress MP Yusuf Pathan to withdraw from the diplomatic mission intended for ‘highlighting Pakistan’. The comments were made shortly after Pathan withdrew from the squad, which is set to travel to 30 nations to convey India’s stance against terrorism.

The cricketer-turned-politician’s name was revealed as part of a team led by Janata Dal (United) MP Sanjay Jha, which is scheduled to visit Indonesia, Malaysia, South Korea, Japan, and Singapore to communicate India’s stance on Operation Sindoor.

The Trinamool Congress declared that none of their MPs would participate in the initiative because the BJP-led government at the Centre did not consult the party before finalizing the names. The party, however, maintained that it is not boycotting the diplomatic initiative and merely wishes to be permitted to choose its representative.

Reacting sharply, BJP co-incharge for West Bengal Amit Malviya said in a post on X, “West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee’s decision to force the TMC MP to withdraw from the multi-party delegation is unfortunate.”

This is a government of India’s delegation and it should have been kept above partisan politics, Malviya said, maintaining that Members of Parliament (MPs) are representatives of the people as well. It sends a subliminal message that Mamata Banerjee and her party are unwilling to speak out against Pakistan-sponsored terrorism,” the BJP leader charged.

“What is worse is that while a caucus of senior party apparatchiks prevailed, likely because they were not part of the delegation, other senior TMC MPs are now sending feelers to be included,” he said, adding, “After all, it is a matter of national pride to represent the country at such a moment”.

Malviya slammed Banerjee, accusing her of representing the “worst kind of politics”.

“Unfortunately, West Bengal is bearing the brunt of it,” he said, adding, “Let us not forget that a hostile demographic shift is staring the state in the face.”