Results for: Mani Shankar Aiyar

Congress leader Mani Shankar Aiyar’s use of the word “alleged” to describe the 1962 Sino-Indian war has ignited a political debate, with the BJP accusing him of “brazen revisionism.”

Aiyar’s remarks in a speech at the Foreign Correspondents Club were met with criticism from the BJP, which condemned them as an attempt to whitewash the Chinese invasion.

Aiyar subsequently apologized for his use of language, but the BJP has continued its attack, alleging a pattern of pro-China stance by the Congress party.

Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh defended Aiyar, pointing out his apology and accusing the government of ignoring Chinese incursions in 2020.

Union Home Minister Amit Shah highlighted Uttar Pradesh’s transformation from producing country-made pistols to manufacturing cannon balls, crediting Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath for the state’s development. Shah also slammed Congress leader Mani Shankar Aiyar’s remarks on Pakistan’s nuclear capability, asserting that India is not afraid and will reclaim Pakistan-Occupied Kashmir (PoK). He further criticized the Opposition, referring to them as ‘desi Angrez’ (native British). The Jhansi Parliamentary constituency, which includes segments in Jhansi and Lalitpur districts, will witness a contest between BJP’s Anurag Sharma and Congress’s Pradeep Jain ‘Aditya’ in the fifth phase of Lok Sabha elections on May 20.

Mani Shankar Aiyar, an English-speaking intellectual, and Lalu Prasad Yadav, a Hindi-speaking politician from a rural background, embody distinct approaches to secularism in India. While Aiyar represents the gated community of India’s English-speaking secular elite, Yadav is a champion of the subalterns, the marginalized Hindu masses. Aiyar’s secularism focuses on inter-religious harmony, while Yadav’s extends to intra-religious justice, challenging caste domination and patriarchy within Hinduism. Both politicians face challenges in fostering subaltern secularism, with Aiyar struggling to reconcile his party’s elitism with the subaltern turn, and Yadav confronting resistance from within his own party to his emphasis on caste justice.