Salman Khurshid calls critics in Congress 'heartless machines'


New Delhi, Oct 13 (IANS): Facing flak from party colleagues for his statement on Rahul Gandhi, senior Congress leader Salman Khurshid on Saturday hit out at his critics, saying they are either "hypocritical" or "heartless machines".

Penning a letter to his fellow party men, which he posted on social media, the former Union Minister repeated that Rahul Gandhi should return as Congress President and advised his colleagues not to run away from the truth.

He has been under attack for his earlier remarks in which he had expressed his unhappiness over Rahul Gandhi "walking away" as Congress President in the wake of the Lok Sabha poll debacle.

"Some colleagues in the party said these remarks hurt the party. It will hurt to say let us find out why we are hurt! It will not hurt if we continue to suffer hurt caused to us by the adversary? To show courage and fortitude and not cry is character but to pretend we have no pain is silly and may be even fatal," Khurshid wrote.

"My critics are either hypocritical to deny pain or plain simple impervious, heartless machines that know not the spiritual dimension of pain," he added.

Describing Rahul Gandhi as "our leader", Khurshid said, "He should return as President of our grand party that Soniaji will continue to inspire. We have taken a blow but we will rise again to rule over the hearts and minds of our beloved people."

He said that Congress "can give India the life of freedom and fulfillment where the head is held high by one and all without fear and favour. Each post along the path will be approached to conquer."

The senior Congress leader said, "Victories will not cause arrogance, defeats will not cause doubt in our cherished values. But convenience and adversity, far less the machinations of the BJP, must not force compromise on our values."

He said it's time to do away with "symbolism and adopt Satyagrah."

"Undoubtedly, liberal parties have become self-conscious about the methods used by the BJP to win the landslide mandate. This is sadly feeding the monster of misrepresentation and deceit because there is no alternative narrative. Caution is understandable, but psychological retreat will be disastrous. Gnawing fear of further defeats will almost certainly deliver us to defeat," Khurshid said.

"We must not retreat from our convictions because of contrived notions of the mood of the nation. To bide time may be good strategy, but to be afraid to speak is simple cowardice. I have been taught to be a Congress soldier, not to be a coward," the former Union Minister said.

Criticising the judiciary, he wrote, "For decades since the Emergency and the Supreme Court's dark period of ADM Jabalpur, our appellate judges have assiduously built a remarkable edifice of liberty jurisprudence. Yet suddenly an amorphous notion of national security has become the catch phrase that is virtually pushing freedom of the individual to take a back seat."

Turning to Kashmir, Khurshid voiced concern over the developments there.

"All who love India dearly cannot be mute spectators of the plight of J&K. There is no gain saying that Pakistan has chosen to be our enemy but that applies to them more forcefully vis a vis the people of J&K," he wrote.

"It matters not that our brothers and sisters of Kashmir have consistently disappointed us and stymied opportunities to bond with the rest of India. But we do not tire saying that it is our problem.

"Be that as it may, it is a problem nevertheless. We have no option or duty other than solve the problem but that does not mean that we crush the protagonists. Extraordinary situations call for extraordinary steps and endeavour but then it needs extraordinary hearts and minds too as well," Khurshid wrote.

He said the "recent forced events do not betray qualities of head and heart that would match the vision of the great leaders who brought down the Berlin wall to reunite Germany or ensured lasting peace to the Irish people after decades of IRA bombings."

The Congress leader said even the late former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee "would have been agonised about how ‘Insaniyat, Kashmiriyat, Jamhuriyat' has been given a go bye and replaced by a truncated voiceless zero tolerance on the ground and puerile comments by myopic wonders about improved matrimonial opportunities in the Valley."

 

  

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Comment on this article

  • G R PRABHUJI, Mangalore

    Sun, Oct 13 2019

    This old out dated person is enough for Congress to finish the party.

    DisAgree Agree [1] Reply Report Abuse

  • Roshan, Mangaluru

    Sun, Oct 13 2019

    It is hard for Rahul to get connected to the middle class. He is seen with the poor and tries to champion their cause, but middle class is least amused and not interested. With a million of cooked up jokes by BJP IT cell already in circulation, that reaches to largest voter base with excellent networking techs, it is hard for Rahul to win middle class confidence back.

    Further, there is no platform available, no network available, no dedicated workers, very strong adversary in BJP, agencies and institutions working only in favor of BJP, infighting within congress leaders and with his own reluctance of politics, it is hard for him to achieve any objectives. In addition, BJP has very strong manipulation techniques. With the help of media can convert its own miserable failures into grand success depicting congress from its birth as a party till now as a villain.

    Nevertheless, there are ways to handle these situation. Unfortunately, with one section of powerful leaders with closed mind-set, largely hand in gloves with BJP, do not let the party either to evaluate or to reform for the better. However, it is very vital for the nation to revive congress as political alternative, to sustain democracy and growth. They are understanding it reluctantly.

    DisAgree Agree [1] Reply Report Abuse

  • helpful, MANGALORE

    Sun, Oct 13 2019

    No use blaming the adversary. Why did Rahul have to dress up like a brahmin with a janivara, in Muslim attire and as a Christian with a Cross dangling from his neck. Im sure they were not morphed photos. Why did he have to resort to such antics. He is himself to blame for the image of an immature guy , unfit to lead such a large party.
    It is a pity senior leaders in the party did not advise him to desist from such acts and instead acted as psychopants and ultimately cut a sorry figure

    DisAgree Agree [1] Reply Report Abuse

  • Krishna, Udupi

    Sun, Oct 13 2019

    542 constituency
    and 542 group in grand old so called secular party

    DisAgree [1] Agree Reply Report Abuse

  • Krishna, Udupi

    Sun, Oct 13 2019

    in next election congress should make alliance with congress only.........

    there will be 542 groups with in party and each group will get 1 seat to contest

    DisAgree [1] Agree Reply Report Abuse

  • Kishor, Mangalore

    Sun, Oct 13 2019

    Salman Kurshid called Sonia Gandhi as India's mother before.....

    Congress can only bounce back when 90% of senior leaders should be asked to resign.

    DisAgree [1] Agree [1] Reply Report Abuse


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Title: Salman Khurshid calls critics in Congress 'heartless machines'



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