“Soul of INDIA bloc presented by Mani Shankar Aiyar in a written format”: Sambit Patra

New Delhi [India], August 24 (ANI): Hitting out at the Congress party over the statement of senior Congress leader Mani Shankar Aiyar, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) national spokesperson Sambit Patra on Thursday said that the Congress leader has presented the soul of INDIA block in a written format.

This comes after Aiyar alleged that former Prime Minister PV Narasimha Rao had “communal” tendencies and labelled him as the country’s first BJP PM. In his autobiography, “Memoirs of a Maverick: The First Fifty Years (1941–1991),” released on Monday, the former diplomat also advocated for renewed dialogue with Pakistan. He expressed the view that while there is the resolve to carry out surgical strikes against Pakistan, there is a lack of willingness to engage in diplomatic talks with the country.

Reacting to this, the BJP leader said, “…2024 elections are approaching and ‘mukut mani’ (Mani Shankar Aiyar) has shone once again. This time he not only spoke but also wrote a book. He spoke especially on three Ps – Parivaarvaad, Pakshapaat and Pakistan.”

“The Soul of INDIA bloc has been presented by Mani Shankar Aiyar in a written format…PV Narasimha Rao was the PM from Congress and the kind of words that have been used for him clearly show that the Gandhi family’s spokesperson can’t tolerate someone other than somebody from the Gandhi family becoming the PM, even if the person is from the Congress party. Through Mani Shankar Aiyar it has been said that PV Narasimha Rao was BJP’s and not Congress,” Patra added while addressing a press conference.

He also said that whatever Mani Shankar Iyer writes, speaks and projects, the pen and the tongue may be his but the ideas and objectives are of the Gandhi family. 

“Yesterday was such a big day. India achieved a milestone, Chandrayaan landed on the (lunar) South Pole. At the same time, a press conference by Mani Shankar Aiyar comes wherein he says, “India can never be a ‘Vishwaguru’ because India is ignoring Pakistan. If India can’t establish peace with its western neighbour, if India can’t talk to Pakistan, it can never lead the world”…India has already proved its mettle…”, Patra added.

 The Congress party has not reacted to Mani Shankar Aiyar’s comments so far.