New Delhi: A diplomatic row has erupted following the visit of an Indian parliamentary delegation to the U.S., led by Congress MP Shashi Tharoor, as part of post-Operation Sindoor outreach. Karnataka Minister Priyank Kharge has alleged that a young BJP MP embarrassed the nation by attempting to bypass protocol for a personal meeting with U.S. President Donald Trump.
Kharge posted a detailed statement on X, questioning the legitimacy of the BJP MP’s actions and calling it an “insult to India’s institutional integrity and diplomatic standing”.
The delegation included Shambhavi Chaudhary (LJP), Sarfaraz Ahmed (JMM), Harish Balayogi (TDP), Shashank Mani Tripathi (BJP), Tejaswi Surya (BJP), and Bhubaneswar Kalita (BJP), along with Milind Deora and Mallikarjun Devda of the Shiv Sena. Former Indian envoy to the U.S., Taranjit Singh Sandhu, also accompanied them.
Kharge wrote, “If this news of the BJP MP’s immature approach is accurate, it is nothing short of disgraceful.”
He further questioned, “When part of an official delegation, what justified this impulsive and immature conduct? Who is this young BJP MP and what action has the Government taken to address this breach of decorum?”
Citing a report, Kharge said the BJP MP, apparently irked after Milind Deora met Trump’s sons Donald Jr. and Eric Trump, tried to secure a similar meeting but failed. Instead, the MP allegedly used a personal U.S.-based contact to arrange a private meeting with Trump at Mar-a-Lago, where he was introduced as a “close associate of the Indian head of state.”
Trump allegedly responded with “blunt and harsh” remarks, leaving the MP red-faced. The MP returned quietly to India, and according to the report, was later warned by BJP leadership.
Kharge added, “This is not some idle political gossip, it is a serious insult to India’s institutional integrity and diplomatic standing. It deserves more than silence. It demands accountability.”
He also accused the central government of double standards. “While it frequently denies permission to state-led investment delegations without an explanation, BJP MPs enjoy the liberty of violating protocol for ‘photo-ops’,” Kharge said.
Kharge also recalled an incident earlier this year when the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) initially denied him permission to attend the Bio 2025 convention in Boston, only to reverse the decision after he publicly raised the issue.
