Guyana: All-party delegation led by Shashi Tharoor pays tribute to Mahatma Gandhi, Whitby Ship

The all-party delegation paid floral tributes to the bust of Mahatma Gandhi at Promenade Gardens in Georgetown, Guyana.

The Indian delegation also offered floral tributes to the bronze replica of the Whitby Ship, a historic ship that brought the first Indians to Guyana in 1838.

Speaking to ANI, BJP MP Shashank Mani paid his respects to the people who first came to settle in Guyana, praising their role in the country''s development.

Mani highlighted the success of Operation Sindoor, saying, "The message of our Operation Sindoor has been conveyed very successfully along with the message of friendship."

Congress MP Shashi Tharoor said, "The MP''s delegation was very proud to come here to this historic monument. It''s a monument of a ship, called the Whitby, in 1838, the ship that brought the first load of Indian indentured servants".

He added that the vast majority of the people were from UP and Bihar, and their descendants have managed to keep a cultural affinity with India.

Tharoor stated that the delegation''s primary objective was to raise awareness about India''s stance on terrorism and recent events in the subcontinent, at the same time the mission is an opportunity to strengthen India-Guyana relations where 40% of the population is of Indian descent.

Tharoor said, "So as we have come here to raise consciousness and promote understanding about our position on the issue of terrorism and the recent events in the subcontinent. At the same time, the mission has acquired a broader resonance. It has also become a mission of friendship, of strengthening relations with Guyana, where 40 per cent of the population is of Indian descent. And at the same time, at a time when Guyana is booming with oil and gas reserves and a lot of economic growth and development, 30 per cent economic growth today, that is a country that also offers a lot of opportunities which India, Indian businesses, Indian students, and Indian labour should seize. So we see this as an exciting and important time in India-Guyana relations as well."

Describing his meeting with the Speaker of Guyana''s National Assembly, Tharoor told ANI, "It was terrific. We had a very good visit to the Speaker of the Legislative Assembly, Manzoor Nadir...He showed a great deal of understanding for our position and our concerns. And, each MP had a chance to contribute to the appreciation of the issue...It was very effective and we all complemented each other in conveying the concerns and determination of the Indian nation to the speaker of the Assembly."

In a diplomatic outreach following Operation Sindoor, the Modi government has formed seven multi-party delegations to inform nations about Pakistan''s links to terrorism and India''s strong message of zero tolerance for terrorism in all its forms and manifestations.

Operation Sindoor was launched on May 7 as a decisive military response to the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack by Pak-sponsored terrorists, in which 26 people were brutally killed. Indian Armed Forces targeted terror infrastructure in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir, leading to the elimination of over 100 terrorists affiliated with groups including Jaish-e-Mohammed, Lashkar-e-Taiba, and Hizbul Mujahideen. (ANI)