Agencies, New Delhi
Taking a serious view of senior leader Mani Shankar Aiyar’s use of derogatory language against Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the Congress today issued a showcause notice and suspended him from the primary membership of the party, AICC Media In-charge Randeep Surjewala said.
‘It is a reflection of the party’s Gandhiwadi leadership and respect for its opponents that Congress had issued a showcause notice to Mr Mani Shankar Aiyar and suspended him from the primary membership of the party,’ Mr Surjewala said in a tweet. ‘Will PM Modi ever show this courage,’ he asked.
The action came shortly after a tweet by Congress Vice-President Rahul Gandhi, in which he disapproved of Mr Aiyar’s remarks and asked him to apologise. Reacting to PM Modi’s remarks at a rally in Gujarat, Mr Aiyar had described him as a ‘neech’ (lowly) person.
This had evoked sharp reactions from BJP. Amid the heat of the campaigning for assembly polls in Gujarat, Senior Congress leader Mani Shankar Aiyar, known for his controversial remarks like the ‘chaiwala’ jibe against Mr Narendra Modi in 2012, today courted controversy when he called Mr Modi an uncultured man who practices dirty politics only to apologise later after a rap from party vice-president Rahul Gandhi.
Talking to reporters here, Mr Aiyar said, “Mujhko lagta hai ki ye aadmi bahut neech kisam ka aadmi hai, isme koi sabhyata nahi hai, or aise mauke par is kisam ki gandi rajniti karne ki kya avashyakta hai? (This man is a low-life person, he isn’t cultured… at this moment why does he need to practice such dirty politics) ? The comments came after Mr Modi launched a subtle attack on former Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru at a rally in Gujarat.
Without naming Nehru, he said, “Baba Saheb Ambedkar’s contribution to nation building is very important. There had been attempts to undermine his role, but such attempts were unsuccessful.”
The comments by Mr Aiyar, however, got him a rap from Congress vice- president Rahul Gandhi who said that he does not appreciate the tone and language used by Mr Mani Shankar Aiyer to address the PM and asked him to apologise for what he said. ‘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,’ Mr Gandhi said in a post on social media.
The comment by Mr Aiyar also evoked sharp reactions from the BJP. Prime Minister Modi said such remarks were indicative of the Congress party’s “Mughlai mindset”. Without referring to Aiyar by name, the Prime Minister bemoaned that a well-educated, high-ranking politician was resorting to language that was unbecoming in a democracy.
“Congress leaders are speaking in a language that is not acceptable in democracy. One Congress leader, who has studied in best institutions, served as a diplomat, was a Minister in Cabinet, said Modi is ‘Neech.’ This is nothing but a Mughlai Mindset,” PM Modi said at a public rally in Gujarat.
Slamming Aiyar for making derogatory remark against Prime Minister Modi, senior BJP leader Arun Jaitley said the former’s remark has challenged the weaker and backward sections of the country and it shows a mindset that only one elite family(Congress) can govern the country.
‘ Mani Shankar Aiyar’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’,’ the Finance Minister tweeted. Attacking the grand old party, Mr Jaitley said,’ The Congress Party has challenged the weaker and backward sections of India by calling the Prime Minister as ‘Neech’.’
The Finance Minister said the strength of India’s Democracy will be displayed when a person of humble background politically defeats the dynasty and its representatives. Soon after a rap from Rahul, Mr Aiyar has apologised for the word ‘’neech’’(low) he used for Prime Minister Modi, but said he did not mean to refer to the Prime Minister as ‘’low-born’’ as the latter was interpreting it.
‘If the Prime Minister is giving a distorting interpretation to my words, and if this has harmed the Congress, I apologise for it,’’ Mr Aiyar told reporters here. Responding to criticism on his remarks, Mr Aiyar said,’why was PM taking a jibe at Congress and Rahul Gandhi at inauguration of a Centre on Baba Saheb Ambedkar? Everyday PM is using foul language against our leaders.
The Congress also condemned the remarks made by Mr Aiyar and asked that he apolgise . ‘The remarks made by Mr Aiyar are condemnable. He should apologise for using derogatory word ,’AICC spokesperson Ajoy Kuamr said. He said that the Congress vice-president had asked the pary leaders to ensure that derogatory language was not used for political .
‘The Congress has never resorted to use of derogatory language for its opponents,’Mr Kumar said. Mr Kumar, however, urged Prime Minister Modi to maintain the dignity of his post . ‘It does not behove the high post he holds that he spoke untruths about the late Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru’s relations with Babasaheb Ambedkar.
Infact, it was Pandit Nehru who sent Babasaheb to the Rajya Sabha after he lost the Lok Sabha elections. The PM should not indulge in distortion of history,’Mr Kumar said.
