New Delhi, Jun 5 (PTI) India's outreach mission to different countries to convey its message against terrorism was effective, CPI(M) MP John Brittas said on Wednesday, reiterating the opposition's demand for holding a special session of Parliament on the developments around the Pahalgam terror attack and Operation Sindoor.
Brittas was a part of the all-party delegation headed by JD(U) MP Sanjay Jha which visited Japan, South Korea, Indonesia, Singapore and Malaysia.
In an interview with PTI, the Rajya Sabha MP from Kerala stressed that the delegations would not have been as effective without the opposition's participation as it turned out to be in the end.
"Overall, the response was good. We could effectively convey the message of India that terror is where every nation has to hold its hands together.
"And it's not something which should be limited to one country alone. Because terror can have new friends, new enemies," Brittas said.
"That's what I experienced. So, in the hour of this crisis, in this danger, all these countries have the bounden duty or responsibility to support India. That message was comfortably conveyed," he said.
The Communist Party of India (Marxist) [CPI(M)] MP highlighted India's long-standing cultural and trade ties with the Southeast Asian nations and said the country has a thriving partnership with them.
He said it was "soft power diplomacy" and they also held interactions with diplomats from around 30-35 nations during the tour.
Brittas said the delegation has urged the Union government to have "follow-ups" on the interactions held by the MPs.
"A lot of follow-up measures have to be taken. Amongst our group, we decided that the government of India should interact with those people whom we interacted with. There should be a follow-up to it," he said.
The MP said they briefed External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on the tour but refused to divulge any information about the interaction.
He said now that the delegations have returned, a special session of Parliament should be called according to the demand of the opposition parties.
"We, the opposition members, wholeheartedly fulfilled the obligation that was entrusted to us. Now, the government of India has to fulfil its obligation to take the people into confidence. The way to take the people into confidence is to convene Parliament," he said.
"There should be a special session dedicated to these issues. In a democracy, it's quite natural that questions will arise. Suggestions will come, doubts will be aired… All these have to be brought to the floor of Parliament," he said.
Brittas said the delegations that India sent abroad would not have been effective without the opposition's presence, and added that the onus is now on the government to prove its sincerity.
Asked about the dates for the Monsoon Session having been announced and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju's statement that all issues can be discussed then, he said, "He should be knowing…"
Traditionally, Brittas said, the Monsoon Session is more or less devoted to legislative business.
"Do you think that when we are discussing Bills, you should spare two hours for discussing these things (Operation Sindoor)? What sort of response is he making there?
"What prevents him from having a special Parliament session? Now, what is happening in this country is that there is a unilateral narrative that is being built up. Democracy should not be unilateral," he said.
He said several questions can be asked in Parliament.
"On Pahalgam, was there a security failure? Who is responsible for that? And what's the role of Uncle Trump in this? He has been trumpeting his ceasefire efficiency everywhere," Brittas said, referring to US President Donald Trump's claim of having brokered a "ceasefire" between India and Pakistan.
Asked about the attacks on the opposition leaders, especially Lok Sabha Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi, by the ruling party for his remarks, the CPI(M) MP said, "I haven't gone through the statements of Rahul Gandhi… But having said that, I feel that, see, it's quite natural that in domestic politics the opposition leaders would be asking so many questions. And let me bluntly say that we have not given somebody the privilege of protecting India."
"We are all protecting India. We are all as nationalist as anybody else. We are all patriotic as somebody in the ruling party," he said.
He said this is what made India different from Pakistan.
"India is a democracy where questions are bound to come… We have been asking harder questions…
"Compared to Pakistan, India has got a syncretic, plural, diverse, democratic process. Whereas Pakistan is under the spell of military rule," he added.