New Delhi– Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge has voiced strong concern over recent international developments involving Pakistan and Bangladesh, calling them deeply troubling for India’s diplomatic standing and national interest. In response, he has demanded an all-party meeting and a special session of Parliament to formulate a unified foreign policy approach.
Kharge urged the Narendra Modi-led government to engage opposition leaders in constructive dialogue, stressing the importance of bipartisan consensus on foreign affairs. “The government must take suggestions from the opposition, hold discussions, and decide the national strategy in the presence of the Prime Minister and the Foreign Minister,” Kharge said on Thursday. “This has happened many times before and will be essential in the national interest.”
In a post on X, Kharge singled out two incidents that have triggered alarm in Indian political circles. The first is the praise of Pakistan by U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) chief General Michael Kurilla, who referred to Pakistan as a “phenomenal counter-terrorism partner” during a recent testimony before the U.S. House Armed Services Committee. General Kurilla also credited Pakistan’s military with capturing high-value ISIS-Khorasan operatives and stressed the importance of maintaining strong U.S. relations with both India and Pakistan.
Following these remarks, Pakistan’s Army Chief, General Asim Munir, was invited to the U.S. Army’s 250th anniversary celebrations in Washington on June 14. Munir is also expected to hold high-level meetings with senior American officials during his visit—an invitation that has sparked political backlash in India, especially in the wake of the April 22 terror attack in Pahalgam and India’s subsequent Operation Sindoor.
Kharge also condemned the recent vandalism of Rabindranath Tagore’s ancestral home, Rabindra Kachharibari, in Sirajganj, Bangladesh. The site, now a museum, was attacked by a mob following a dispute over parking fees, resulting in property damage and reported assaults on staff. The Bangladeshi authorities have launched an investigation and temporarily closed the site to the public.
Calling both incidents “extremely worrying,” Kharge reiterated the Congress Party’s demand for inclusive national discussions on foreign policy. “It is essential in the national interest that we speak with one voice on matters of international importance,” he said.
His statement comes amid rising pressure from opposition parties for greater transparency and collaboration in foreign policy, especially in light of evolving regional dynamics and heightened security concerns.
The Ministry of External Affairs has not yet commented on either General Kurilla’s statements or the invitation extended to Pakistan’s Army Chief. Meanwhile, the vandalism in Bangladesh has drawn bipartisan condemnation in India, with both the BJP and Trinamool Congress calling for justice and protection of shared cultural heritage. (Source: IANS)
