NEW DELHI: Mani Shankar Aiyar on Monday invoked BR Ambedkar after Congress distanced itself from the former Union minister’s praise of the Pinarayi Vijayan-led government in Kerala ahead of the assembly polls.Speaking to news agency ANI, Aiyar took a sharp jibe at Rahul Gandhi, saying he is a Gandhian but not a “Rahulian.”Citing Ambedkar’s biography “A Part Apart”, Aiyar said, “There is a biography of Dr Ambedkar which says ‘a part but apart.’ So that’s the only thing I can say. Mr Rahul Gandhi has forgotten that I am a member of the party, and therefore I am a Gandhian, I am a Nehruvian, I am a Rajivian, but I am not a Rahulian.”“I am in the Congress party, I haven’t left it. If Pawan Khera is going to expel me, I will happily go outside and kick his backside after I have left,” he added.Aiyar also said that he has “no respect complete contempt for” Pawan Khera.“Do you think the people of Kerala don’t know what is happening in Congress leadership? At least in Pinarayi’s government there is discipline. They have no Mani Shankar Aiyars. I am Mani Shankar Aiyar because Nehru was a rebel against Gandhi, Subhash Bose was a rebel against Gandhi. Yet Gandhi made Jawaharlal Nehru the PM of India. If Subhas Bose had survived the aircrash on 17th August 1945, I am certain he would have been the President of India. So, that is how they dealt with dissidence. How does the present Congress deal with it? They put somebody like Pawan Khera as the official spokesman. I have absolutely no respect and complete contempt for Pawan Khera,” Mani Shankar Aiyar said.He also described Pawan Khera as a “puppet” who just repeats what party MP Jairam Ramesh tells him. He stated that Khera is not a spokesperson but a “parrot.”“I want you to send a message to Pawan Khera. He has allied with MA Baby in Delhi and he is getting upset about my being allied with Pinarayi Vijayan here. What kind of Congressi is he? Above all, how stupid can a party be than to make Pawan Khera the spokesman? There are a million people in Congress who would make a better spokesman. This chap is just a puppet, he is saying whatever Jairam Ramesh tells him. He repeats the same thing, he is not a spokesman, he is a parrot,” Aiyar said.Aiyar also slammed Congress general secretary KC Venugopal and said, “Can you imagine what is the condition of a party which raises a rowdy like KC Venugopal to the level of Sardar Patel, to Rahul Gandhi? That is all I need to say as an answer.”Earlier on Sunday, Aiyar stoked fresh controversy after lauding Vijayan and expressing hope for the return of the Left government in the upcoming assembly elections.Speaking at an international seminar titled “Vision 2031: Development and Democracy,” Aiyar asked Vijayan to “pick up the baton that the Congress has dropped.”“I do not know whether this is a compliment or an insult, but I deeply regret the absence of my party colleagues on this occasion, which is a state occasion and therefore a national occasion. While Kerala is the first state in panchayati raj in practice, it ranks only second in law,” Aiyar said.“So, in the presence of the chief minister, who I am confident will continue in office, I renew my plea — to reinforce Kerala as the best panchayati raj state in the country. Therefore, I must fall at your feet, Chief Minister Vijayan, and request you to pick up the baton that the Congress has dropped. Thank you, and may Kerala prosper,” he added.Aiyar’s remarks did not sit well with the party. Congress national spokesperson Khera sought to distance the party from the comments, saying Aiyar has had no connection whatsoever with the Congress for the past few years.In a post on X, Khera said Aiyar “speaks and writes purely in his personal capacity.”“Mr Mani Shankar Aiyar has had no connection whatsoever with the Congress for the past few years. He speaks and writes purely in his personal capacity,” Khera said.Congress general secretary in-charge of communications Jairam Ramesh also rubbished Aiyar’s remarks, saying the United Democratic Front (UDF) is set to return to power in Kerala.“Let there be no doubt. The people of Kerala will bring the UDF back for more responsible and responsive governance. They also know the Left Democratic Front (LDF) and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) are covert partners,” he said.
