"International Khan Market Gang": S Jaishankar On Anti-India Narrative

Taking a swipe at the anti-India ecosystem over their 'negative' portrayal of India, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar said that just like the 'Khan Market Gang' in India, there is also a global extension of it, like the 'International Khan Market Gang'.

In an exclusive interview with ANI, Mr Jaishankar said, "In the country today, there is a certain thought process, or entitlement process, which the metaphor of 'Khan Market Gang' is a very good description. I want to tell you there is an international Khan Market Gang as well."

"These are people, who are sort of linked to entitled people out here. They are socially comfortable with them, they know them, they feel like them," he added.

Further taking a jibe at the anti-India ecosystem, the EAM said, "The sales are down in the domestic Khan Market, the international Khan Market Gang feels like 'I need to pep up these guys and give them support'."

On being asked about the Prajwal Revanna case; why the former JD(S) leader's passport was not impounded and why was he allowed to leave, Mr Jaishankar said that the Ministry of External Affairs got a request from the Karnataka government only on May 21 and MEA has to function only as per the law.

"The MEA got the request from Karnataka only on 21st May...people were saying a lot of things to the press. I don't know how others, other state governments, function, we at least in MEA function as per the law," he added.

Regarding the claim of Opposition parties that BJP will be 'Dakshin mein saaf aur Uttar mein half' (rout in the South, and half in the North), Jaishankar exuded confidence in the Modi government's return to power with an even bigger majority.

"For us (BJP), it would be dakshin mein double (twice in South), and for the Opposition, I would say uttar mein even more trouble," he stated.

He also rebuffed the allegations by Congress and other Opposition parties that the BJP government is "against the Constitution", highlighting that it was the Congress party under whose rule, around 80 amendments were made to the Constitution.

"Constitution does not provide for faith-based reservation. You are actually implementing and advancing faith-based reservations, and then you are saying I have respect for Constitution...this is against the Constitution....80-odd amendments were done to the Constitution by whom, by the Congress party," Jaishankar further added.

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