The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Friday appreciated comments made by Congress leader Salman Khurshid who had stated that the abrogation of article 370 had made positive changes in Jammu and Kashmir.

While BJP’s Shehzad Poonawala said Salman Khurshid also accepts how ‘Pakistan-parasti’ was increasing, Amit Malviya asked if the Congress will “now turn on him for speaking an inconvenient truth, just as they did with Shashi Tharoor.”

“Salman Khurshid is a senior Congress leader and has been External Affairs Minister previously and today he also accepts how ‘Pakistan-Parasti, Pattharbazi and Problem of Pakistan’ was increasing. Now that Article 370 has been removed, there is Prosperity and People’s voice is audible,” ANI news agency quoted Shehzad Poonawala.

Also Read: Don’t ‘legitimise’ Article 370 abrogation: Mehbooba to CM Omar

He added, “Article 370 was a blunder of the then governments and especially Nehru, this is accepted by Salman Khurshid himself… But even today, some Congress leaders back the Article 370.”

Amit Malviya, taking to X, said, “Mr Khurshid’s stance reflects bipartisan support for the Centre’s actions in Jammu & Kashmir, underscoring a broader sense of national unity against cross-border terrorism and a strong reaffirmation of India’s territorial integrity. Will the Congress now turn on him for speaking an inconvenient truth, just as they did with Shashi Tharoor?”

“Or is Tharoor being punished simply for daring to challenge the Gandhi camp’s chosen candidate for Congress President?” Malviya added.

Salman Khurshid praises Article 370

Congress leader Salman Khurshid, as a part of an Indian delegation sent to Indonesia, spoke about Article 370 and said that scrapping it was the right decision.

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.”

Also Read: Farooq Abdullah privately backed 370 move: Ex-RAW chief Dulat says in new book

As a part of the all-party delegation sent to Jakarta to emphasise India’s stance against Pakistan-backed terrorism, Khurshid also called for Pakistan-occupied Kashmir to be given back to India.

“There is a long standing unanimous resolution of parliament of India saying that the Pakistan occupied Kashmir must be re-vacated and given back to India and as you know that even in the assembly of Jammu and Kashmir, the seats that should have been in that area are kept vacant just for this reason that we have we have a long term commitment that the area is to come back to us. That’s one important factor,” he said.

“The second is that the government has reiterated this because you know, often questions are asked about will you talk, will you not talk, etc. We have expressed our distress that repeated attempts to talk and negotiate have been betrayed by Pakistan by a subsequent attack and several attacks that happened over the years,” he added, regarding Pakistan’s links to terrorism and repeated agression against India.