'Is It Difficult To Be Patriotic?': Salman Khurshid Hits Back At Congress Criticism, BJP Reacts

News18

3 days ago

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Khurshid's remarks came after all-party delegations, including senior Congress leaders, faced criticism from their own party, even as they highlighted India's anti-terror stance.
Congress leader Salman Khurshid reacted to constant Congress criticism over the all-party delegations sent to foreign countries to highlight India's anti-terror stand, criticisng the party for 'calculating political allegiances" during the mission against terrorism.
The grand old party has been harshly criticised for opposing the inclusion of its own senior figures in the all-party delegations organised by the Central government. Senior Congress leaders criticised their own leaders, most notably Shashi Tharoor, for supporting the ruling party's stance against terrorism.
Taking to X, Khurshid said, '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?"
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
Reacting to Khurshid's remark, BJP leader Amit Malviya said the sentiment was tragic and deeply ironic. 'It reflects the cost of a warped idea of secularism that the Congress party has long championed, one that confuses the urgent need to confront terror with a compulsive instinct to appease. In doing so, they have not only diluted the moral clarity required to fight extremism, but have also compromised national security in the name of vote-bank politics," he said.
'What makes this all the more tragic is the Congress party's belief that it is somehow divinely entitled to rule, a notion so deeply ingrained that it often puts the party's partisan interests above the country's welfare. Time and again, we have seen national interest sacrificed at the altar of political expediency, wrapped in lofty rhetoric but hollow in principle."
Malviya further accused the Congress of bringing in communal politics during India's fight against terrorism, emboldening enemies of the state and 'betraying" the nation.
Congress U-Turn On All-Party Delegations
Congress had initially expressed unity with the Centre after the heinous terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir's Pahalgam on April 22, in which 26 tourists were gunned down by Pakistan-sponsored terrorists. No sooner had the all-party delegations left for their respective countries than Congress started criticising the diplomatic outreach and even countered statements made by their own leaders.
Congress had criticised the BJP for 'cheap political games" after the latter had announced the names of leaders to lead the delegations. Four senior Congress leaders – Shashi Tharoor, Salman Khurshid, Manish Tewari and Amar Singh – without consulting the party. Tharoor is a former diplomat, and Khurshid served as the External Affairs Minister. Their names did not feature in the list of names suggested by the Congress.
Congress has also consistently criticised the government and raised repeated questions about India's military losses during Operation Sindoor, drawing sharp reactions in a particularly sensitive period.
Jairam Ramesh's comment that 'our MPs are roaming and terrorists are also roaming" drew severe backlash from the ruling party. He also hit out at Shashi Tharoor's recent remarks, stating that Tharoor's explanation of the government's anti-terror stance did not represent the official position of the Congress party.
Tharoor's remarks in Panama created another discomfort among Congress, after which the party dubbed him 'super spokesperson of the BJP". Tharoor has dismissed these remarks, saying he will speak with his colleagues once he returns to India.