Mani Shankar Aiyar, the former Union Minister of Congress, was suspended from the party on grounds of using inappropriate remarks with a castist undertone to launch a verbal attack against the Prime Minister, Narendra Modi. He has recently returned with the hope that his affiliation with the party will soon be renewed.
“It (revocation of suspension) may happen either in the next six hours, or in the next six days, or in the next six weeks or in the next six years,” Aiyar said.
INC had Aiyar suspended its senior leader last December. He had called Modi as a ‘neech aadmi’ (a vile man) in his campaign in Gujrat while opposing BJP and its policies. The comment was fraught with controversy and considered not the appropriate use of language which a politician of such a stature should comment. Congress had also admitted that Mani Shankar Aiyar’s comment acted as a major setback for the Gujarat poll and the role of Congress in that election. Rahul Gandhi had immediately criticised the usage of such language and had asked him to apologise which was done by the minister claiming that he didn’t grasp the language Hindi very well.
Modi had countered Aiyar’s comment by stating during an election rally in Surat :
“They can call me ‘neech aadmi’. Yes, I am from the poor section of society and will spend every moment of my life to work for the poor, Dalits, tribals and backward classes. That is my culture. They can keep their language, we will do our work.”
While being questioned about his return to the party the senior politician claimed that he regrets missing Rahul Gandhi’s election as Congress president as he was with the ‘Gandhi scion’ during the filing of nominations for the post.
“I would know that one day, I think they (will) take me back. Because however much they might feel that they have alienated me from the Congress, I am a Congressman and I shall remain absolutely loyal to the party,” he added reaffirming his faith to the party.