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Salman Khurshid's dig at those ‘calculating political allegiances’: ‘Is it difficult to be patriotic?’
Congress leader Salman Khurshid is part of an all-party delegation led by JD(U) MP Sanjay Kumar Jha, carrying out an anti-terror drive for govt.
Salman Khurshid, Congress leader and member of one of the all-party delegations carrying out government's anti-terror drive across countries, on Monday said it’s “distressing that people at home are calculating political allegiances”, asking if it is “so difficult to be patriotic” when a mission against terrorism is underway.
Congress leader Salman Khurshid is part of an all-party delegation led by JD(U) MP Sanjay Kumar Jha. The delegation is currently in Malaysia after having visited Indonesia, South Korea, Japan, and Singapore.
Also Read: Shashi Tharoor on Congress criticism over anti-terror delegation: 'Can't dwell on it'
The delegation 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.
Taking to social media platform X, Salman Khurshid wrote, “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?”
While Congress leader Salman Khurshid did not specify who he was targetting with his X post, his party has not very happily welcomed the appointment of its leaders by the government for the all-party delegation task, saying that the names party gave for selection for the campaign were ignored by Centre.
Earlier last week, Congress MP Jairam Ramesh made a controversial remark stating, "Our MPs are roaming and terrorists are also roaming."
‘Not very encouraging’
Later, talking about his X post, Salman Khurshid on Monday said he is continuously facing several questions, which he believes “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 are you doing there?' What are we doing here? We are doing here is, what is needed for the country. No matter which party you are from, today what is needed is a single voice to speak in favour of the nation and that is what we are doing here. I think when I say is it so difficult to be a patriot? - that is the question that has to be asked of those who are putting out tweets and saying things that I think I believe are not very encouraging when you want to do something for the nation," Salman Khurshid said while talking to news agency ANI.
He said people are making several claims, including of him supporting the government, and added that he is carrying out the anti-terror drive because it is “India first”.
"...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 I come here to oppose the Government of India? If I wanted to do that, I would stay at home. I have come here to speak for India, whoever speaks for India and in whichever way they speak for India, whatever is said for India, we are here to support. It is only a short period of 10-12 days, then you have to go back home and do what you are required to do at home. But here for India first, India and only India," Salman Khurshid said.
Last week in Indonesia, Congress leader Salman Khurshid said that Article 370 had created a feeling that Jammu and Kashmir was separate from the rest of India.
Also Read: BJP hails Salman Khurshid's Article 370 remarks, asks ‘will Congress turn on him like Tharoor’
While addressing Indonesian think tanks and academics in Jakarta, Indonesia, Salman Khurshid stated, "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... But Article 370 was abrogated and it was finally put to an end."
