Salman Khurshid's Universal Peace Vision Penned In His Articles
Prof. Neelam Mahajan Singh
In a recent meeting with Salman Khurshid, I saw a book on his table, 'Salman Khurshid: Over The Years In The Media', Navaid Khan did the sifting and onerous task of digital search and Rajesh Prothi at 'Absolute Factor', put these articles by Salman Khurshid, written in nearly three decades in the form of a book.
Salman Khurshid says, "my life has been a heady mix of legal scholarship as a university don, a public person, less felicitously described as politician, dealing with rural and small town constituents, as a grass root party worker, public intellectual of sorts". Salman Khurshid says his desire to put pen to paper has always been pervasive with something always tugging him towards poetry and fiction. He wrote, 'Answer At Dawn', while he was studying English Hons. in St. Stephen's College.
His play 'Sons of Babur' was brilliantly performed by Tom Alter.
Salman Khurshid has authored, 'Sunrise Over Ayodhya: Nationhood in Our Times', 'Contesting Democratic Defict: An Inside Story of 2024 Elections (Co-authored with Mritunjay Singh),
The Citizenship Debate: CAA & NRC, At Home In India: The Muslim Saga, Triple Talaq: Examining Faith,
Beyond Terrorism: New Hope For Kashmir, India's Tryst With The World (co-authored by Salil Shetty),
Taking Bail Seriously, Judicial Review: Process, Powers and Problem, The Supreme Court And The Constitution, Justice At Heart: Life Journey Of Justice V. R. Krishna Iyer, The Other Side of The Mountain, The Philosopher President Speaks: Selected Writings and Speeches of Dr. Zakir Hussain and many more.
I had extensively reviewed Sunrise Over Ayodhya, which interprets the Supreme Court of India's unanimous verdict on 9th November, 2019. Salman Khurshid wrote, "As we look back, we will be able to see how much we have lost over Ayodhya through the years of conflict. If the loss of a mosque is preservation of faith, if the establishment of a temple is emancipation of faith, we can all join in celebrating faith in the Constitution. Sometimes, a step back to accommodate is several steps forward towards our common destiny." Salman Khurshid is a compulsive thinker, and his pen jotted his thoughts in form of articles which are a regular feature in Indian newspapers and global publications. 'Over The Years In Media' begins from an article 'Patriots Don't Try To Divide' published in The Hindustan Times on 21 February 2003. The last article compiled in the book is 'Caste Census, or the movement to build a more inclusive India', published in National Herald, 25 May, 2025. The book has 370 pages, which indeed is a remarkable effort. "Praveen Togadia can be at best described as a macabre clown. But he certainly takes himself seriously." In 2006, he wrote in H.T., "Both the BJP and the SP are looking at quick-fixes in India's largest state, and this is bound to catch up with them." On 19 November 2015, Salman Khurshid wrote in 'Wire' that India and Pakistan are victims of self induced myopia. "The two neighbours must give up their narrow visions and look beyond the here and now, towards a future they can share," wrote the former Minister of External Affairs. On 27 April 2020, he wrote, "India retains a place for inclusive secular politics, but we can not secure that for ourselves, if we do not believe, as is the case with some friends, that there is such place."
On NDTV website - blog, on 3 March 2021, Khurshid wrote an open letter to 'G-23' i.e. the dissident Congress-men.
There is a role for Congress in the battle for minds and hearts of Indians, he wrote in The Print. In Sunrise Over Ayodhya, Salman Khurshid wrote, "On Hindu Rashtra BJP must know what it intends, but it's leaders skirt issue to secure world recognition". Being a senior advocate of the Supreme Court of India, he gave a clarion call, that courts must clamp down on violence. A red line must be drawn between debate and defiance of law. On 22 March 2022, Salman Khurshid wrote in Wire, that Hijab ban verdict ignores constitutional values, favours, 'right of society.' On 10 June 2024, he wrote on INDIA BLOC, must stay together and build on gains.
On 30 December 2024, Salman Khurshid's article was syndicated in several newspapers, in which he said, "The Manmohan Singh era was a decade of transformational change in India's economy and society. If there are yet some star gazers left, they will spot a shining star in the sky, with features of decency, dignity, and dedication, erudition, devotion to the nation, named Manmohan Singh." In Economic and Political Weekly, 4 January 2025, the Supreme Court of India overturned the 1968 judgement. This was highlighted by the minority judgement by Justice Surya Kant. Salman Khurshid has worked on each and every issue concerning the minority community of Muslims. 03 April 2025 he wrote in The Indian Express that the Waqf Amendment Bill was a threat to a way of life, once celebrated as 'unity in diversity.' In the last chapter, Salman Khurshid writes, "by making census a central issue, Rahul aimed to realign the party's focus to social equality and inclusivity". Salman Khurshid is ex Minister of External Affairs, Minorities, commerce, law and company affairs.
He was President of Uttar Pradesh Congress Committee. He is a member of the Indian National Congress's CWC, and was elected from Farrukhabad Lok Sabha constituency in the General Election of 1991and 2009. His political career started from 1981 as an Officer on Special Duty in the Prime Minister's Office with Mrs. Indira Gandhi.
Salman Khurshid holds highly prestigious degrees in English and Law, with a strong academic background from India and the UK. B.A. in English (Hons): St. Stephen's College, Delhi University. LL.B. in Jurisprudence: St. Edmund Hall, Oxford University, he graduated with first-class. Bachelor of Civil Law (B.C.L.): M.A.: Oxford University. Following his education at Oxford, he also served as a lecturer in Law at Trinity College, and is an Honorary Fellow of St Edmund Hall, Oxford. Salman Khurshid became President of India Islamic Cultural Centre in 2024. His secular, scientific and political vision embodies universal peace and harmony in global context.
Prof. Neelam Mahajan Singh
(Sr. Journalist, Author, Doordarshan News Personality, Solicitor for Human Rights Protection and Philanthropist)
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