'How does he know Urdu? Explain Triple Talaq', is Salman Khurshid's haughty response to PM Modi's 'Cong for Muslim men only' charge

Former minister Salman Khurshid has offered his response to Prime Minister Narendra Modi's stinging attack on Saturday during which he had asked whether the Congress was a party for Muslim men only.

Speaking to reporters, Khurshid hit out at PM Modi raising an article by an Urdu newspaper that had claimed that Rahul Gandhi had told Muslim intellectuals when he hosted a reach-out for them recently that the Congress is a party of Muslims. 

Bizarrely, Khurshid's specific issue was whether or not PM Modi really knows Urdu:

"That our PM reads Urdu newspaper and he understands that language very well is really surprising to know", Khurshid said.

"From where did he learn Urdu language? Has he learnt it from Delhi University or somewhere else?, Khurshid asked, raking up a previous controversy where the party had questioned PM Modi's educational credentials.

"He should clarify that to the entire nation", Khurshid added, hardening his stand.

Finally coming to the PM's criticism of the Congress, particularly towards their opposition to the Triple Talaq bill, Khurshid once again made it a question of knowledge, as if only Congress leaders are entitled to know about what the matter of Triple Talaq is:

"He (PM Modi) should also explain to us that what actually is Triple Talaq?"

On Saturday, speaking in Uttar Pradesh's Azamgarh, PM Modi had said:

"The real face of these parties was revealed by their approach on Triple Talaq. On one side the Centre is making efforts to ease and improve the life of women and on the other these parties are working to put the life of women, especially Muslim women, in danger."

On the specific issue of Triple Talaq, PM Modi said:

"Crores of Muslim women had always demanded that Triple Talaq should be banned, as it is banned even in Islamic countries."

"Is there any place for the dignity and the rights of Muslim women? They have stalled legislation in the Parliament and they do not allow Parliament to run", PM Modi said referring to the largely washed-out second half of the Budget session of Parliament.

He then asked for those who are opposing the Triple Talaq bill to use the handful of days that remain to inform themselves about the plight of the victims of Triple Talaq and Nikah Halala: 

"These dynastic parties are toiling to oust Modi. I want to tell them that there are still four or five days left for the Parliament session to begin. Meet the victims of Talaq and Halala, ask them about their plight, and then put your point of view in Parliament."

In response, rather than making substantive points, Khurshid chose to language-shame and trumpet his own purported monopoly over know knowledge of Triple Talaq.

The Triple Talaq bill has been passed in the Lok Sabha and awaits passage in the Rajya Sabha. The Monsoon session of Parliament begins on July 18.

Earlier, Congress media in-charge Randeep Surjewala had said the following about the story in the Urdu newspaper: