Are Salman Khurshid’s Remarks a Reflection of Reality in Jammu and Kashmir?

New Delhi, May 30 (NationPress) BJP MP Praveen Khandelwal on Friday supported the comments made by senior Congress figure and former External Affairs Minister Salman Khurshid, who commended the abrogation of Article 370 in Jammu and Kashmir (J&K).

Khandelwal stated that Khurshid's remarks represent the ground realities in the area.

During an event with Indonesian think tanks and scholars, where he participated in an all-party Indian parliamentary delegation, Khurshid noted: "Kashmir has faced significant issues for an extended period. Much of this was mirrored in the governmental perspective on an article referred to as Article 370 of the Constitution, which erroneously suggested that Kashmir was distinct from the rest of the nation. However, with the abrogation of Article 370, that notion has finally been dispelled."

In response to Khurshid’s comments, Praveen Khandelwal informed IANS that this reflects a unique characteristic of India and its democracy.

“When it concerns the nation, we unite. Our delegations abroad, which include Salman Khurshid, Shashi Tharoor, Asaduddin Owaisi, and other leaders, are now advocating for the nation’s interests. Following the abrogation of Article 370, there has been remarkable progress in J&K. Tourism in the Jammu area is rapidly increasing, and what Salman Khurshid articulated is indeed the reality of J&K,” he asserted.

Khandelwal further commented that those who criticize Congress MP Shashi Tharoor for acknowledging the Modi government do not truly understand him.

“The Congress party, driven by political motives, overlooks the broader picture. They seize every opportunity to manipulate situations for their own benefit. This issue concerns the unity, integrity, and sovereignty of the nation. When Congress leaders, who are part of the delegation, address concerns about Pakistan being a center of terrorism and India's initiatives in countering it abroad, they are expressing factual observations,” he stated.

Khandelwal emphasized that labeling them as BJP agents or spokespeople reflects the Congress's mindset, which remains ensnared in a singular family’s influence.

“This is a national concern, not merely a family issue,” he remarked.

Khandelwal also addressed Telangana Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy’s recent assertion, in which he claimed that India would have reclaimed Pakistan-Occupied Kashmir (PoK) if Rahul Gandhi had been the Prime Minister.

Dismissing Reddy’s assertion, Khandelwal remarked that Reddy likely lacks historical awareness, questioning who allowed PoK to fall into Pakistan’s control?

“It was the Congress. That same family which governed India for decades is accountable. Reddy appears so engrossed in political fervor that he is oblivious to the facts. It is regrettable that a state Chief Minister would make such unfounded statements that hold no validity,” he concluded.