Trinamool Congress Rajya Sabha MP Saket Gokhale on Wednesday launched a blistering political attack on External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar, questioning his diplomatic credibility and accusing the government of hiding behind media optics instead of addressing global realities.

Gokhale’s remarks followed a widely circulated video of Jaishankar addressing members of the Indian diaspora in Luxembourg, where the minister spoke strongly against external interference in India’s internal matters. The clip was projected as a tough diplomatic message, drawing attention across social media platforms.

Reacting sharply, Gokhale accused sections of the media of amplifying what he described as staged narratives. In a post on X, he said the repeated portrayal of Jaishankar as a hard-talking diplomat did not match India’s actual standing on the global stage. “This PR of ‘Jaishankar breathes fire’ has become tiring,” he wrote, suggesting that strong words were not translating into diplomatic influence.

The TMC MP went further, linking India’s foreign policy posture to its relationship with the United States. He alleged that US President Donald Trump routinely disrespects Prime Minister Narendra Modi, and claimed that both Modi and Jaishankar remain silent in such moments. According to Gokhale, the government’s assertive tone is selectively used and disappears when powerful global leaders are involved.

In a scathing remark, Gokhale described Jaishankar as “the most incompetent foreign minister the country has seen,” dismissing what he called the “laal aankh” or tough-image narrative built around the External Affairs Minister. He argued that foreign policy should be judged by outcomes, not speeches or headlines.