File Picture
Congress distanced itself from Mani Shankar Aiyar’s remark on respecting Pakistan and his suggestion that India should engage in dialogue with them.
In a post on X, All India Congress Committee media department chairman Pawan Khera wrote, “Indian National Congress dissociates itself completely from and disagrees totally with some remarks made by Mani Shankar Aiyar a few months back which have been revived today by the BJP in its attempt to deflect attention from Prime Minister Modi’s daily goof ups. Aiyer does not speak for the party in any capacity whatsoever.”
“The Indian National Congress and indeed the entire nation recalls with pride that in Dec 1971 Pakistan was broken and an independent Bangladesh emerged thanks to Indira Gandhi’s decisive and determined leadership and the valour of our armed forces,” the post further reads.
Indian National Congress dissociates itself completely from and disagrees totally with some remarks made by Mr. Mani Shankar Aiyar few months back which have been revived today by the BJP in its attempt to deflect attention from Prime Minister Modi’s daily goof ups. Mr Aiyer… pic.twitter.com/MQAPR0MXfx
— Pawan Khera 🇮🇳 (@Pawankhera) May 10, 2024
“Almost exactly 50 years ago on May 18 1974 under the leadership of Indiraji, India’s nuclear capability was announced to the world. The Indian National Congress has always believed that our decision-making should be guided by supreme national interest. And if old videos are to be used, here is a not-so-old video where the External Affairs Minister is publicly advising India to be afraid of China,” he added.
Earlier, Mani Shankar Aiyar said a video of his comments on Pakistan being circulated is old and being dredged up because the BJP’s Lok Sabha campaign is faltering.
“It is obvious from the sweater I am wearing that my comments to Chill Pill were made in the winter several months ago. They have been dredged up now as the BJP’s election campaign falters. I refuse to play their game,” the Congress leader said in a statement.
“Interested persons may please read the relevant passages in my two books released by Juggernaut last year, “Memoirs of a Maverick” and “The Rajiv I Knew”..,” he said.
In the video, Aiyar is saying that India should give respect to Pakistan as it possesses an atom bomb. “If we don’t give them respect, they’ll think of using atom bomb against India,” he said in the video. Asked about use of India’s muscular policy, he said, “We should not forget that Pakistan also has muscle at Kahuta (Rawalpindi),” a reference to the atomic bomb.
