New Delhi:
Less than a month after engaging in a sharp public exchange over the role and authority of India’s Supreme Court, AIMIM president Asaduddin Owaisi and BJP MP Nishikant Dubey are now on the same team as part of a government-backed delegation tasked with promoting India’s stance on cross-border terrorism and its recent military operation, codenamed Operation Sindoor, in several key partner countries.
Mr Owaisi and Mr Dubey, who were recently on opposing sides of a contentious debate over judicial independence, are now colleagues in one of seven delegations being dispatched abroad as part of India’s diplomatic outreach. The development comes at a time when the Centre is seeking to consolidate international opinion against Pakistan’s sponsorship of terrorism and to highlight India’s counterterrorism efforts post the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack.
“This is not about party affiliation,” Mr Owaisi said. “This is not about any party affiliation. We will have a more detailed meeting before leaving. This is an important task. I will try my best to fulfil this responsibility well.”
Owaisi vs Dubey Recap
The backdrop to this unlikely collaboration between Mr Owaisi and Mr Dubey is a fierce row last month over remarks made by the BJP MP and his party colleague Dinesh Sharma criticising the Supreme Court. Mr Dubey had questioned the court’s authority, suggesting that if it continued to issue sweeping rulings, then “Parliament and State Assemblies should be shut.”
His comments came after a landmark ruling by the top court on April 8, which effectively imposed a three-month deadline on the President and Governors to assent to Bills passed for a second time by state legislatures. The court had also recommended that Bills raising constitutional questions be referred to it under Article 143, a move interpreted by some as curtailing the Executive’s powers.
“The top court has only one aim: ‘Show me the face, and I will show you the law’. The Supreme Court is going beyond its limits. If one has to go to the Supreme Court for everything, then Parliament and State Assembly should be shut,” he said.
In response, Mr Owaisi delivered a stinging rebuttal.
“You are tubelights, you are thumbs-up… You are threatening the courts? Article 142 of the Constitution (which gives the Supreme Court special powers) was brought by BR Ambedkar. Ambedkar was more far-sighted than you,” said the barrister.
Mr Owaisi warned that such rhetoric could weaken the judiciary and undermine democracy. “Your people are so radicalised that they are threatening the courts. Modi ji, if you do not stop these people who are threatening, the country will weaken and the country won’t forgive,” he said.
Facing mounting criticism, the BJP leadership moved quickly to dissociate itself from the controversial remarks. Party president JP Nadda issued a statement calling Dubey and Sharma’s comments “personal views” and added that the BJP “completely rejects” them. “The BJP has always respected the judiciary,” Mr Nadda said
The Diplomatic Outreach
The outreach mission, announced earlier this month, includes seven delegations of Members of Parliament from across the political spectrum. Each group is to be led by a senior MP and is scheduled to visit specific partner countries. According to Mr Owaisi, who confirmed his participation to news agency ANI, his group will likely be led by BJP’s Baijayant Jay Panda and include MPs Nishikant Dubey, Phangnon Konyak, Rekha Sharma, Satnam Singh Sandhu, and Ghulam Nabi Azad. The countries on their itinerary include the United Kingdom, France, Belgium, Germany, Italy, and Denmark.
“We are representing the government of India and our country. We are going to those countries to tell how our daughters are getting widowed, our children are being orphaned, and how Pakistan wants to destabilise our country. We are the fifth-largest economy. If there is destabilisation in India, it will affect the whole world. Never forget that 21 civilians have also been killed (in cross-border shelling). Four children were killed in Pooch. Five of our jawans were killed. We will present all this to the countries. We will present the Indian government’s vision to the best of our capability,” Mr Owaisi said.
The delegation’s formation comes against the backdrop of Operation Sindoor, launched by India on May 7 following the Pahalgam terror attack that claimed 26 lives. According to government sources, around 100 terrorists were killed in precision strikes carried out in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir.
Each delegation includes prominent MPs from various political parties. The leaders of the seven groups include Congress MP Shashi Tharoor, BJP’s Ravi Shankar Prasad, JDU’s Sanjay Kumar Jha, DMK’s Kanimozhi Karunanidhi, NCP (SP)’s Supriya Sule, and Shiv Sena’s Shrikant Shinde, alongside Mr Panda.
