"So Difficult To Be Patriotic?" Salman Khurshid's Stinger Dig At Opposition

Congress leader Salman Khurshid - a member of a cross-party delegation travelling to partner nations as part of an outreach after the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack and Operation Sindoor - has slammed critics, including those from his party, questioning opposition MPs' participation in these missions.

"When on a mission against terrorism, to carry India's message to the world, it is distressing that people at home are calculating political allegiances... is it so difficult to be patriotic?" he asked on X.

The sharp remark follows praise days earlier for the BJP-led federal government's August 2019 decision to scrap Article 370 in Jammu and Kashmir. Mr Khurshid told Indonesia think tanks abrogation of a law that "gave the impression Kashmir was separate" from India resulted in prosperity for J&K.

Mr Khurshid is part of a delegation led by Janata Dal (United) MP Sanjay Kumar Jha that has visited South Korea, Singapore, Japan, and Indonesia, and is presently in Malaysia.

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

Speaking to reporters in Kuala Lumpur, he explained his X post was meant to call out people who "are not very encouraging when you want to do something for the nation".

"People keep saying, 'what are you doing in a delegation where there are people from the BJP'. What we are doing is what is needed for the country. No matter which party you are from, today what is needed is a single voice to speak for the nation... the question is to be asked of those saying these things I believe are not very encouraging when you want to do something for the nation."

"People are also saying 'he (referring to himself) is supporting so-and-so and is not supporting so-and-so'. But if I wanted to oppose the government I would stay at home. I have come to speak for India... whoever speaks for India, and in whichever way they speak, we are here to support them."

#WATCH | Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia: Member of all-party delegation led by JD(U) MP Sanjay Kumar Jha, Congress leader Salman Khurshid says, "...People are saying, he (Salman Khurshid) is supporting so and so and he is not supporting so and so; they are supporting Government etc. Have… pic.twitter.com/qh9ChLyMeF

— ANI (@ANI) June 2, 2025

"... we are here for India first... India and only India," Mr Khurshid told news agency ANI.

Although the Congress has publicly said it will back the government in any attempts to combat the spectre of terrorism, home and abroad, the party is believed to be unhappy over its key figures - five, including Mr Khurshid, Shashi Tharoor, and Anand Sharma - becoming de facto BJP spokespersons.

A former External Affairs Minister, he said in Malaysia that India had a key global role today and that it is not 'greedy' for Pakistan territory, which was a clear swipe over Pak's illegal occupation of Kashmir.

READ | "Not Greedy For Pakistan, Their Region": Salman Khurshid On Op Sindoor

Salman Khurshid's responses on 'political allegiances' comes amid criticism of opposition MPs on these anti-terrorism delegations, particularly the Congress' Shashi Tharoor, who faces rumours about his party future. Mr Tharoor is leading a team to the United States, Brazil, and other nations.

Those jabbing Mr Tharoor include senior Congress leaders, including party comms boss Jairam Ramesh and spokesperson Pawan Khera, who have called out what they think is the former diplomat's unnecessary praise for the ruling BJP and Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

READ | "When We Get Back...": Shashi Tharoor On Colleagues' Swipes At Him

Asked about those jabs, Mr Tharoor too said he is more focused on conveying India's message on terrorism, and said he would only speak to his colleagues once he returns.

The seven anti-terrorism delegations are meant to carry India's revised doctrine on terrorism after Pahalgam - an attack in which a Pakistan-based Lashkar-e-Taiba killed 26 people.

India responded to that attack with precision military strikes targeting only terror camps - four in Pak and five in Pak-occupied Kashmir - but Islamabad (and Rawalpindi, the Pak Army HQ) retaliated by launching drones and missiles at military and civilian centres in western India.

The missiles and drones were neutralised or shot down by India's air defences and, after 100 hours of military conflict, Pak sought a ceasefire. India accepted the ceasefire request but warned Pak against resuming hostilities, and said it would no longer tolerate cross-border attacks.

READ | Future Talks With Pakistan Only On PoK, Terror: PM Modi

Pak was also told to desist from funding terrorist strikes, and dismantle terrorist infrastructure in that country, and also vacate illegally occupied regions in Kashmir.

With input from agencies

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