Mani Shankar Aiyar loses cool.
Congress leader Mani Shankar Aiyar Tuesday pushed aside a microphone, made fists and used an expletive at reporters who questioned him about his neech jibe at Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
He also called the prime minister a coward.
Q: Neech Kaun Hai?
— Vivek Ranjan Agnihotri (@vivekagnihotri) May 14, 2019
A: #ManiShankarAiyar
Watch it till the end. pic.twitter.com/jOafpghM7J
Aiyar lost his temper at tv reporters who met him at the Punjab government guest house here and questioned him over an article he wrote, recalling a slur he directed at Modi in 2017.
Don't you know there is a person in India, Narendra Modi. Haven't you heard about his sharp attacks. Go and ask him questions, he told them in Hindi.
No, He doesn't talk to you as he is a coward. He doesn't talk to the media, he said.
Then he raised his arms, waiving them about in an apparent imitation of Modi.
He also made a fist at the reporters and pushed away a microphone. You won't ask me any question, he warned one of them.
He then used an expletive in English, while asking them to leave.
With another set of reporters during the day, Aiyar was calmer.
He said it was just one line in his article and he will not get involved in media's "games".
"I am a fool, but not such a big fool," he said.
Referring to Modi in his article in Rising Kashmir and The Print, Aiyar wrote, "Remember how I described him on 7 December 2017? Was I not prophetic?" In 2017, the former Union minister had called Modi "neech aadmi" following which he was suspended from the Congress party.
This time too, the Congress has condemned the remarks in the article.
1. Mani Shankar Aiyar reiterates 'neech' jibe
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After months of silence, Congress leader Mani Shankar Aiyar was back in the news Tuesday with an article justifying his "neech" slur against Narendra Modi, and also calling him the most "foul-mouthed" prime minister the country has seen.
The article, published in Rising Kashmir and The Print, drew condemnation from the Congress and the BJP, which called Aiyar "abuser-in-chief" and described his party as arrogant.
Addressing an election rally, Modi attacked Aiyar and the Congress, saying he takes such abuses as "gifts" and the public will respond to each and every abuse by electing the BJP.
In Shimla, Aiyar lost his temper when reporters questioned him about the article. He pushed aside a microphone, made fists at them and used an expletive while asking them to leave.
He called Modi a coward and waived his arms, in an apparent imitation of the prime minister.
In the article, just days before the last phase of voting for the high-stakes Lok Sabha polls, Aiyar said,"Remember how I described him on 7 December 2017? Was I not prophetic?" In 2017, the former Union minister called Modi "neech aadmi" following which he was suspended from the Congress party.
Justifying the slur, Aiyar wrote,"Modi will, in any case, be ousted by the people of India on 23 May. That would be a fitting end to the most foul-mouthed prime minister this country has seen or is likely to see. Remember how I described him on 7 December 2017? Was I not prophetic?"
2. Congress condemn statement
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The Congress Tuesday condemned the remarks of its leader Mani Shankar Aiyar on Prime Minister Narendra Modi and said appropriate action would be taken against him, even as it accused the PM of lowering the political discourse by using "abusive" language against his rivals. Aiyar was back in the news on Tuesday with an article justifying his "neech" jibe against Modi two years ago, prompting the BJP to call him "abuser-in-chief" and his party arrogant. Aiyar also called Modi the most "foul-mouthed" prime minister the country has seen.
"We completely reject and condemn the remark of the likes of Mani Shankar Aiyar and every other person who is violating the time-tested principle of self-discipline in political discourse of mutual respect and adherence of ideas and ideology and not to verbal abuse while fighting an election," Congress' spokesperson said. "To give due regard even to your worst political enemy as was shown by (Congress president) Rahul Gandhi on the floor of Parliament. And, the BJP and Modiji gives sermons to us on political discourse," he said.
On action against Aiyar,he said, "We shall at the appropriate forum in the party, will definitely look at it and take appropriate action".
3. How Twitter reacted
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Oh my God! All jokes aside, Mani needs help. This is not normal .. He is unwell. https://t.co/Tz8gx5nMfO
— Sunanda Vashisht (@sunandavashisht) May 14, 2019
BJP supporters watching Mani Shankar Aiyar's video. pic.twitter.com/r0RCQetvlW
— Krishna (@Atheist_Krishna) May 14, 2019
Welcome back my good friend Mani Shankar Aiyar. Reassured that you weren’t there in Balakot. The BJP regretted your absence during the campaign but there is still the final over left.
— Swapan Dasgupta (@swapan55) May 14, 2019
Scenes at BJP headquarter after Mani Shankar Aiyar rises from political grave to defend his 'neech' remark. pic.twitter.com/YIAQJPLPoI
— Namoste India Chowkidar ✪ (@NamosteIndia) May 13, 2019
Watch this video carefully, Mani Shankar Aiyar says to the journalist that he will hit him and then abuses in the end. What will @RahulGandhi do? Will he again suspend him and revoke his suspension a few months later.. shameful conduct by aiyar.. watch and share this pic.twitter.com/3pUvagsR4J
— Aadit Kapadia આદિત કાપડિયા (@ask0704) May 14, 2019
