In a powerful display of political solidarity, the Trinamool Congress (TMC) has announced that a five-member delegation will embark on a three-day visit to Jammu and Kashmir, specifically to the border regions affected by recent Pakistani shelling.
The delegation, comprising TMC MPs Derek O’Brien, Sagarika Ghose, Md Nadimul Haque, West Bengal Minister Manas Bhunia, and former MP Mamata Thakur, will visit Srinagar, Poonch, and Rajouri from May 21 to May 23.
“Under the guidance of AITC chairperson @MamataOfficial, a five-member delegation will be proceeding to Srinagar, Poonch and Rajouri,” the party posted on its official X (formerly Twitter) handle on Monday.
The purpose of the visit is to express solidarity with victims of the Pakistani artillery and mortar shelling, show empathy to grieving families, and underscore TMC’s national stand against cross-border terrorism.
One of the Deadliest Shelling Episodes in Years
The visit follows the May 7 attack, in which at least 13 people — including four children and a soldier — were killed and 57 others injured in intense shelling by the Pakistan Army along the Line of Control (LoC) in Jammu and Kashmir. It was one of the most severe artillery attacks in recent years, believed to be a retaliatory response to India’s missile strikes on terror infrastructure in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) as part of Operation Sindoor.
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Local villagers in the targeted sectors of Poonch and Rajouri faced large-scale displacement and property destruction, prompting multiple political leaders and parties to visit the area in the aftermath.
TMC’s Broader Political Outreach on National Security
This high-level TMC visit marks a continuation of the party’s active engagement in national security issues, following the nomination of Abhishek Banerjee to represent the TMC in India’s all-party foreign delegations post-Operation Sindoor. The delegations are scheduled to visit 32 countries and the European Union headquarters to articulate India’s stance on cross-border terrorism.
Speaking on the visit, a senior TMC leader said, “This isn’t about politics. This is about humanity and national unity. Our party wants to stand shoulder to shoulder with those who’ve suffered due to Pakistan’s unprovoked aggression.”
A Message of Unity from TMC Leadership
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, under whose direction the delegation is proceeding, has repeatedly emphasized that fighting terrorism and ensuring border security must be a unified national effort.
With its increasing presence in Parliament and more assertive national voice, TMC is positioning itself as a stakeholder in India’s security discourse, reaching beyond state-level concerns to address frontline national challenges.