A five-member delegation of the Trinamool Congress will visit Jammu and Kashmir’s Srinagar, Poonch, and Rajouri from May 21, more than a week after the ceasefire understanding between India and Pakistan was reached.

The delegation, Derek O’Brien, Md Nadimul Haque, Sagarika Ghose, Manas Ranjan Bhunia, and Mamata Thakur, will be in the union territory from May 21 to 23 to express solidarity with those affected in the cross-border shelling from Pakistan.

The TMC delegation will “share the grief of the families who have lost their loved ones”, the party said in its announcement.

The situation in Jammu and Kashmir remains tense since the terror attack near Pahalgam on April 22. The terrorists entered the Baisaran meadow and opened fire at tourists, killing 26 people, mostly civilians.

In the nights following the terror attack, which turned out to be one of the deadliest since the 2019 Pulwama attack, Pakistani troops violated the ceasefire across the Line of Control consistently.

On May 7, the Indian armed forces launched precision strikes against nine terror infrastructures in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) under ‘Operation Sindoor’. It destroyed terror bases linked to outfits such as Jaish-e-Mohammed, Hizbul Mujahideen, and Lashkar-e-Taiba.

Pakistan attempted to launch a retaliatory action against India following Operation Sindoor, with cross-border firing, shelling, use of drones and unarmed aerial vehicles over Jammu and Kashmir, and border regions of states including Punjab and Rajasthan. However, the armed forces and India’s air defence system thwarted these bids successfully.

On May 10, India and Pakistan reached a ceasefire agreement following talks between their director generals of military operations. The understanding, though intact, does not imply that India has lifted the punitive measures it imposed against Pakistan, including the suspension of the Indus Waters Treaty.

Abhishek Banerjee picked as TMC representative

Trinamool Congress’ announcement comes as Abhishek Banerjee is chosen as the TMC representative in India’s delegation that will brief partner countries about Operation Sindoor.

TMC said Abhishek’s inclusion in the delegation brings both “conviction and clarity to the table”. It added that his presence will not just reflect Bengal’s stance on terrorism but strengthen the nation’s collective voice on the global stage as well.

TMC MP Yusuf Pathan had on Monday withdrawn his name from the delegation as the party’s leadership was not consulted before nominating him. Union minister Kiren Rijiju had reportedly called TMC supremo and West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee to pacify her and seek her suggestion for a representative from the party.