New Delhi, March 5 Senior Congress leader Mani Shankar Aiyar has stirred a fresh political storm with his sensational 'revelation' on former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi, describing him as a "two-time failure" in academics, first at Cambridge and then at Imperial University.
Aiyar's remarks, critical of own party's Prime Minister, has given the BJP a fresh ammunition to sharpen the attack at the grand old party. The former minister in UPA government has himself come under firing line from within the Congress party for dishing out embarrassing details about Rajiv Gandhi. A Congress leader dubbed Aiyar as the "sleeper cell of the BJP."
The comments got widely circulated on the social media after BJP IT cell head Amit Malviya shared a video clip on X and posted, "Let the veil be stripped."
In the clip, Aiyar is heard saying, "When he became Prime Minister, I was very surprised. I thought he is an airline pilot and failed at Cambridge. It is very difficult to fail at Cambridge because the university, to maintain its image, ensures that everyone at least passes. However, despite that, Rajiv Gandhi failed."
He further added, "After that, he went to Imperial College in London and failed there as well. Then I thought, how can such a person become the Prime Minister of the country?"
Responding to the controversy, Congress MP Tariq Anwar dismissed Aiyar's remarks and defended Rajiv Gandhi's legacy.
"Failing is not a big deal; even the best people fail sometimes. But he did not fail in politics. As Prime Minister, he was highly successful," Anwar told IANS.
Highlighting Rajiv Gandhi's contributions, he added, "He introduced Panchayati Raj, brought IT revolution, improved communication, and promoted scientific progress. There are very few Prime Ministers who have achieved so much in just five years."
Congress national spokesperson Charan Singh Sapra however was critical of Aiyar, accusing him of repeatedly hurting the party's image.
"Mani Shankar Aiyar is an influential leader and has been with Congress for a long time. But for the last several years, his statements have only damaged the party," he told IANS.
Sapra alleged that Aiyar's remarks aligned with the BJP's narrative and he also questioned his loyalty to the party.
"He is a habitual offender who gives controversial statements, perhaps to stay in the news. Shouldn't Mani Shankar Aiyar be asked when he was in Congress, and the party made him a Member of Parliament, then was he not aware of where Rajiv Gandhi had failed?" he asked.
"He was made a minister at the Centre, and when he lost the Lok Sabha elections in 2009 and in 2010, Sonia Gandhi gave him a chance to lead in the Rajya Sabha. Did he forget all this?" he questioned.
"His statements suggest that he is working as a sleeper cell for the BJP. The BJP is using him to spread propaganda. The public should not trust his words," he added.
Mani Shankar Aiyar's controversial remarks have once again put him at odds with the Congress party. Over the years, he has made several statements that have embarrassed the party leadership.
Notably, Aiyar was a close associate of Rajiv Gandhi when he entered politics, and he has often stated that his political career was both 'made and ended' by the Gandhi family.
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