Former union minister and seasoned Congress member Salman Khurshid stated on 2nd June that it was “distressing that people at home were calculating political allegiances.” He is a member of one of the all-party delegations delivering the government’s anti-terrorism message and exposing Pakistan before the global community in the aftermath of the Pahalgam terror attack and Operation Sindoor. “Is it so difficult to be patriotic,” he further asked.
When on mission against terrorism, to carry India’s message to the world, it’s distressing that people at home are calculating political allegiances. Is it so difficult to be patriotic?
— Salman Khurshid (@salman7khurshid) June 2, 2025
Notably, his comments transpired days after Congresman Udit Raj attacked another senior party leader Shashi Tharoor. He referred to the Lok Sabha MP as “super spokesperson of the BJP (Bharatiya Janata Party).” The remarks were also endorsed by close aide of Rahul Gandhi, Jairam Ramesh.
Khurshid’s unwavering pro-national stance
Speaking in Jakarta, Indonesia, as part of one of seven all-party delegations traveling to different nations to convey India’s position on terrorism, the former external affairs minister vehemently denied claims that New Delhi initiated the truce. He called such statements “complete hogwash.”
“Why would we call them first? Who was at the receiving end by the time the calls were made? It is more than clear to everybody that the call came from the DGMO of Pakistan to the DGMO of India. And we stopped when they said ‘Let’s stop’ and we then didn’t send any further attacks on them. But the shelling across the border and the LoC continued for at least three or four hours. There were violations of the ceasefire once again, making it very clear that in Pakistan, nobody seems to be in control. The civilian government doesn’t seem to be in control. There are factions within the army, each vying with each other to become powerful. Nevertheless, we showed restraint and patience,” he asserted.
Khurshid further mentioned, “India is waiting to be great. Nobody will distract us or interfere with that passage of ours. That is why it is important for us to show our strength.” He added, “If there is any sense in Pakistan, they will understand our only demand: give up terrorism. Some of my colleagues are not from the ruling party. The ruling party could have come alone to bring this message, but they came with us to give India’s message.”
Khurshid slams opposition, lauds revocation of Article 370
The Congress stalwart also criticized opposition’s petty politics that undermine national interests. “However, sadly, this is not what we hear from India. Somebody is saying that he is supporting the BJP or the Congress, but I am proud that we are here together because we are not supporting each other’s parties, we are supporting one simple idea called India.”
He emphasized how the repeal of Article 370 had brought prosperity and normalcy back to Jammu and Kashmir. “Kashmir had a major problem for a long time. Much of that was reflected in the thinking of the government in an article called 370 of the Constitution, which somehow gave an impression that it was separate from the rest of the country. But Article 370 was abrogated and it was finally put to an end. Subsequently, there was an election with 65% participation. There’s an elected government in Kashmir today and therefore for people to want to undo everything that has happened, the prosperity that has come to Kashmir.”
Country over politics
According to the member of the Congress Working Committee (CWC), “our instincts told us to stand by the government and support the need to bring the offenders to justice.” He outlined, “But this debate should not spill over into the national endeavour to persuade the world about the core issue of terrorist attacks on India. Our parties sent us to secure explicit support from the countries we are visiting, not to highlight domestic party-political differences. In conclusion, we hope to be back home soon with some gain for the country. Ma thuje salaam,” taking a nuanced stance. He even shared a Rudyard Kipling poem “for people who cannot understand the call of duty for the nation,” in a further dig at the opposition.
“With one voice India is saying, ‘Terrorism no more.’ We hope to create a collective rise against terrorism to make the globe peaceful and prosperous. We can confidently say, ‘Hum honge kaamyaab’ (we will succeed),” Khurshid stressed during his address in Indonesia. “The message we come with. It is a message of unity. We are from several parties. We are from several regions of India. We are from several religions of India. But if you want to see how when it comes to the nation and your motherland how you come together and how you combine how you speak in a single voice is what we are here to show and which is which is something that we by commitment and deep in our hearts we feel very strongly, which is why we are here together to present this picture to you,” he highlighted.
Moreover he conveyed, “People, when they go to war to protect the country, to protect the borders of our country. They go there as essentially as Indians. They have their faiths. They have their languages, they have their cultures, they have their subcultures, but when they are at the border, they have only one sentiment, and that is the sentiment to protect Mother India.”
Khurshid is part of the all-party parliamentary delegation led by JD(U) MP Sanjay Kumar Jha, which is currently visiting partner countries to reinforce India’s firm resolve against cross-border terrorism and its zero-tolerance policy.The delegation has so far visited Indonesia, South Korea, Japan, and Singapore. It includes BJP MPs Brij Lal, Pradan Baruah, Hemang Joshi, and Aparajita Sarangi; Trinamool Congress leader Abhishek Banerjee; CPI-M’s John Brittas; Congress leader and former Union minister Salman Khurshid; and Mohan Kumar.
(With inputs from ANI)
