Senior Congress leader Salman Khurshid has stirred political and intra-party conversation with his sharp and emotional comments regarding the bipartisan anti-terror delegations sent abroad following the Pahalgam terror attack and the launch of Operation Sindoor. A member of the delegation currently visiting Indonesia, Khurshid expressed dismay over the domestic political discourse surrounding these missions, calling it "distressing" that political allegiances were being calculated instead of focusing on national unity.
In a strongly worded post on X (formerly Twitter), Khurshid wrote:
"When on a 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?"
Though he did not name anyone directly, Khurshid’s remarks are seen as a response to recent internal criticism within the Congress. Udit Raj, a Congress MP, recently attacked Shashi Tharoor—also part of the international delegations—for remarks seen as favorable to the Modi government, calling him a "super spokesperson of the BJP". This view was endorsed by senior Congress leader Jairam Ramesh, who had controversially commented that "terrorists were roaming and MPs were also roaming"—a statement that drew backlash from the BJP.
Khurshid’s public position appears to diverge from the Congress party’s broader skepticism about the all-party delegations. The party had earlier claimed it was not consulted properly during the formation of these missions.
Further complicating matters, Khurshid praised the abrogation of Article 370 during a presentation in Indonesia—an issue Congress has traditionally opposed. He stated that Article 370 had created a perception that Jammu and Kashmir was not fully part of India, and its removal finally corrected that view. This endorsement of a key BJP policy by a senior Congress leader has raised eyebrows and added to internal friction.
In an interview with ANI, Khurshid clarified the intent behind his tweet:
"People keep saying, 'What are you doing in a delegation where there are people from the BJP?' What are we doing here? 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."
The Indonesia delegation, led by JD(U) MP Sanjay Kumar Jha, includes:
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BJP MPs Brij Lal, Pradan Baruah, Hemang Joshi, and Aparajita Sarangi
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TMC leader Abhishek Banerjee
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CPI(M)'s John Brittas
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Congress leaders Salman Khurshid and Mohan Kumar
Khurshid’s statements signal a call for national unity over partisan rivalry, especially in matters of counter-terrorism diplomacy. However, his remarks also risk deepening ideological fault lines within the Congress, as debates continue over the party's position on nationalism, security, and collaboration with the Modi government on international platforms.
