Mumbai, May 17 Shiv Sena (UBT) has strongly criticised the Central government for excluding its representatives from the recently announced all-party delegation set to visit foreign nations and brief global leaders on India’s stance in the wake of rising tensions with Pakistan.
Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju announced a seven-member delegation comprising MPs from various parties, including Shashi Tharoor (Congress), Ravi Shankar Prasad (BJP), Sanjay Kumar Jha (JD-U), Baijayant Panda (BJP), Kanimozhi Karunanidhi (DMK), Supriya Sule (NCP), and Eknath Shinde (Shiv Sena).
Reacting to the omission of Shiv Sena (UBT) from the list, party spokesperson Anand Dubey questioned the government’s intent and accused it of deliberate exclusion.
“When Operation Sindoor was announced, we welcomed it wholeheartedly and expressed our pride in India. But after supporting the government, we found ourselves excluded from the delegation. Does this mean we are not patriots? Are we not nationalists? Have we not been elected by the people? Are we not a legitimate political party?” Dubey told IANS.
Dubey condemned what he called a politically motivated decision, saying, “We strongly oppose this move filled with prejudice. When MPs from other parties are included, why were our leaders sidelined? Shiv Sena (UBT) has nine MPs in the Lok Sabha and two in the Rajya Sabha. Yet we were not given a seat at the table.”
He also highlighted his party’s consistent support for the government on national issues.
“After the Pahalgam terror attack, we were the first to stand with the government. We always support the strongest possible action against Pakistan. But when the government had the chance to include us in a show of national unity, it left us out. This clearly shows malice,” he told IANS.
Dubey also alleged that the exclusion was a calculated move to suppress Shiv Sena (UBT)’s ideology and message.
“This is an attempt to prevent our views on Hindutva and nationalism from being heard on the world stage. It is a shameful conspiracy. We condemn not just the government but also those behind this plan.”
Calling it a missed opportunity for unity, Dubey concluded, “We wanted to stand with the government, but the government failed to stand with us. This is not our defeat—it is the government’s failure to uphold democratic inclusion.”
--IANS
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