New Delhi, May 30 (IANS) BJP MP Praveen Khandelwal on Friday endorsed the remarks made by senior Congress leader and former External Affairs Minister Salman Khurshid, who praised the abrogation of Article 370 in Jammu and Kashmir (J&K).

Khandelwal said Khurshid’s statements reflect the ground realities in the region.

Speaking at an event with Indonesian think tanks and academics, where he was part of an all-party Indian parliamentary delegation, Khurshid had remarked: “Kashmir had a major problem for a long time. Much of that was reflected in the thinking of the government in an article called the 370 of the Constitution, which somehow gave the impression that Kashmir was separate from the rest of the country. But Article 370 was abrogated, and it was finally put to an end.”

Reacting to Khurshid’s statement, Praveen Khandelwal told IANS that this is a very unique feature of India and Indian democracy.

“When it comes to the nation, we come together. Our delegations abroad, including Salman Khurshid, Shashi Tharoor, Asaduddin Owaisi, and other leaders, are now speaking in the interest of the country. After the abrogation of Article 370, there has been significant development in J&K. Tourism in the Jammu region is growing rapidly, and whatever Salman Khurshid has said is indeed the truth of J&K,” he claimed.

Khandelwal further said that those who criticise Congress MP Shashi Tharoor for his praise of the Modi government fail to understand him (Tharoor).

“The Congress, driven by political ambition, is missing the larger picture. They never miss a chance to exploit situations for their own gain. This topic pertains to the unity, integrity, and sovereignty of the country. When Congress leaders, who are part of the delegation, speak abroad about Pakistan being a hub of terrorism and India’s efforts in combating it, they are stating facts,” he claimed.

He pointed out that calling them BJP agents or spokespersons shows the Congress’s mindset, which is stuck in the trap of one family.

“This is a national issue, not a family matter,” he added.

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

Dismissing Reddy’s claim, Khandelwal said that Revanth Reddy probably doesn’t know history, asking who allowed PoK to slip into Pakistan’s hands?

“It was Congress. That very family which ruled India for decades is responsible. Reddy seems to be so deeply engaged in political devotion that he is blind to facts. It’s unfortunate that the Chief Minister of a state makes such baseless comments that have no justification whatsoever,” he claimed.

–IANS

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