NEW DELHI: Is Mani Shankar Aiyar turning out to be a Congress motormouth? So it would seem. On Tuesday, not just the BJP but even the Congress’ ‘Grand Alliance’ ally, the RJD, lit into the party for Aiyar’s reported remarks that talks with Pakistan would take off only when Prime Minister Narendra Modi was removed.
In reply to a question from an anchor on Pakistan news channel, Duniya TV, on what needs to be done to end the stalemate in Indo-Pak relations, Aiyar quipped: “The first and the foremost thing is to remove Modi. Only then can the talks move forward.” He went on to add: “We have to wait for four more years.”
Pointing towards his fellow panelists, Aiyar said, “They are all optimistic that we can move forward when Modi sahab is there, but I don’t think so.” What has zapped friends and foes alike was Aiyar’s next: “Bring us (Congress) back to power and remove them. There is no other way (to better the relations). We will remove them, but till then you (Pakistan) have to wait.”
The resultant furore could only be expected. Aiyar was already in hot soup for patronisingly advising the French government, on another TV show, a day after the Paris carnage that Muslims living there should be made to feel like equal citizens if violent repercussions were to be avoided. In the same talk show, he had said that “anti-Islamophobia that is being carried out in the western countries should be stopped immediately. Muslims living in France should be provided with the assurance that they are also citizens of the country.” On a day when 129 innocent civilians were killed and scores more were injured, Aiyar flagged off the root-cause analysis: “We should also think why this situation has arisen?”
The Congress, however, brazened it out, defending Aiyar on the Pakistan comments to the hilt. The party’s spokesperson Tom Vaddakan said, “This is absolutely nonsense. I have a letter with me written by Mr Aiyar in which he categorically denies saying anything like that. So there is no question of distancing from it.” This was after the BJP demanded a clarification from the Congress president and vice-president, Sonia and Rahul Gandhi.
Union Environment Minister Prakash Javadekar said: “I feel Mani Shankar Aiyar has lost his mental balance to tell so to a Pakistan channel. Aiyar’s statement is not only an insult to the Prime Minister but also to the nation.” The BJP condemned the statement, calling it anti-India: “What is even more worrisome is that two senior Congress leaders, first Salman Khurshid, who is former External Affairs Minister, and now Mani Shankar Aiyar, within a week’s span have given such a statement in a nation which is clearly anti-India and has even perpetrated terror in India.”
Attacking Aiyar, RJD’s Manoj Jha said even somebody with “minimum sanity” will condemn this statement. “Even a kindergarten student will not issue such a statement,” he said. This, however, is not a stray incident. Aiyar’s comments on Modi in the run-up to the 2014 elections, which prompted the chai pe charcha counter campaign, many felt had damaged the Congress severely, making it appear snobbish and elitist.
Nitish swearing-in to be show of strength
The swearing-in ceremony of Nitish Kumar, scheduled on Nov 20, is fast turning out to be a conclave of non-BJP CMs and opposition leaders, just days before the winter session of Parliament. From Congress CMs to Delhi’s Kejriwal, West Bengal’s Mamata Banerjee and UP’s Akhilesh Yadav, CPI-M general secretary Sitaram Yechury and SP supremo Mulayam Singh, the event is drawing the who’s who of the opposition firmament. And, not just that, NDA allies, Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackery and Punjab Deputy CM and Shiramoni Akali Dal’s Sukhbir Singh Badal, are also expected to attend. Sonia and Rahul are yet to confirm their participation. There’s no denying that Nitish is converting his oath-taking ceremony into a ‘show of strength’ and also to underline his reach and acceptability among a cross-section of parties. Almost providing a hint of what may coalesce into a bigger political alternative in the next big polls in 2019.
BJP to raise Rahul citizenship issue
The BJP will try to corner the Congress on the issue of Rahul Gandhi’s “citizenship” in the winter session of Parliament beginning Nov 26. The party on Tuesday demanded that Gandhi respond to the issue raised by Subramanian Swamy. “This is a serious issue as legal documents have legal repercussions and the country awaits a legal clarification by the Congress,” BJP spokesperson Meenakshi Lekhi said. Party sources hinted that the BJP could push for a motion to the ethics committee.