Mani Shankar Aiyar's 'neech' remark on PM Modi: Who said what

NEW DELHI: The political slugfest between the BJP and the Congress party reached a new low when senior leader Mani Shankar Aiyar on Thursday referred to Prime Minister Narendra Modi as a "neech aadmi" for appropriating Babasaheb Ambedkar into his election campaign for the imminent assembly polls in Gujarat.

"This person is a 'neech aadmi' (low-minded). He is not civilised and in a situation like this, there is no need to practise such dirty politics," Aiyar said. He had, in January 2014, before the Modi-wave took the nation by surprise, said "Modi would never become prime minister, but he was welcome to serve tea to Congressmen."

PM Narendra Modi

"Shriman Mani Shankar Aiyar today said that Modi is of 'neech' (lower) caste and is 'neech' (vile). Is this not an insult to Gujarat? This is a Mughal mentality where if such a person (who comes from a humble background) wears good clothes in a village, they have a problem."

Rahul Gandhi

"BJP and PM routinely use filthy language to attack the Congress party. The Congress has a different culture and heritage. I do not appreciate the tone and language used by Mr Mani Shankar Aiyer to address the PM. Both the Congress and I expect him to apologise for what he said."

BJP President, Amit Shah

"Neither shocked nor surprised by Mani Shankar Aiyar's referring to PM as 'Neech.' This is the culture of the Congress party. People of Gujarat will punish anti-poor, anti-Dalit, anti-Tribal and anti-OBC Congress."

Finance minister, Arun Jaitley

"The strength of India's democracy will be displayed when a person of humble background politically defeats the dynasty and its representatives. Mani Shankar Aiyer's 'Neech' remark against the Prime Minister displays a mindset that only one elite family can be a ruler and the rest are only the 'Neech'."

Smriti Irani

"To humiliate the PM for his humble origins, to assert that they are the only ones born to reign has been Congress' Neeti - their belief and strategy. The people of Gujarat will respond to this insult by supporting 'Vikaswad' not 'Vanshwad'."

Union Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad

"Mani Shankar Aiyar called our Prime Minister as 'neech'. What does this signify? This shows the feudal arrogance and 'darbari soch' inherent in the Congress party. They cannot bring themselves to terms with the fact that a person from a less privileged background became the Prime Minister of India. How could a 'chaiwallah' become the Prime Minister? That is the thinking behind this."

Laloo Prasad Yadav

"Mani Shankar Aiyar is mentally not fit."