New Delhi [India], June 5 (ANI): JD(U) MP Sanjay Jha on Thursday highlighted the appreciation received during the all-party delegation's recent international visit, crediting Prime Minister Narendra Modi for the initiative and criticising the Congress for not aligning with the collective national voice.

'The biggest appreciation in the countries we visited was that Prime Minister Modi sent delegations from all parties... They appreciated that the whole country spoke in one voice, except them (Congress)... They (Congress) should honestly assess whether the language they are using is in the best interest of the nation or against it...' Jha said.

The all-party delegation, led by Sanjay Kumar Jha, recently completed a multi-nation visit to Japan, South Korea, Singapore, Indonesia, and Malaysia. This visit aimed to strengthen international support against cross-border terrorism, following Operation Sindoor, launched on May 7 as a decisive response to the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack that claimed 26 lives and was carried out by Pakistan-sponsored terrorists.

After their return, External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar met the delegation and tweeted, 'Nice to meet with the All Party Delegation led by @SanjayJhaBihar that visited Japan, South Korea, Singapore, Indonesia and Malaysia.'

The delegation comprised MPs from various political parties--including BJP's Aparajita Sarangi, Brij Lal, Pradan Baruah, Hemang Joshi; TMC's Abhishek Banerjee; CPI-M's John Brittas; and Congress leader Salman Khurshid--demonstrating a unified national stance against terrorism.

Reflecting on their meeting with the External Affairs Minister, Salman Khurshid noted that Jaishankar was well-informed about the delegation's engagements abroad, having been briefed by ambassadors. Khurshid said the minister was aware of 'where we met whom, at what level, and the main issues raised,' and that broader discussions also touched upon concerns requiring government attention.

During the discussions, the parliamentarians highlighted the issue of the lack of reciprocal friendship associations abroad. Khurshid explained, 'In many places, the one-way friendship association is theirs,' adding that Indian parliamentarians 'have not been able to take those steps from our side yet.' The External Affairs Minister acknowledged these points and assured that they would be studied.

Additionally, Khurshid mentioned that the delegation was asked to provide detailed context about their visits and the issues discussed, with 'messages from every country [already] coming to our government.'

Overall, the delegation's visit underscored India's united approach to combating terrorism and deepening diplomatic engagement with strategic partners across East and Southeast Asia, reinforcing the country's commitment to regional peace, security, and development. (ANI)