Never made casteist comment against Modi: Mani Shankar Aiyar
Jaipur (PTI): Former Union minister Mani Shankar Aiyar has rejected allegations that he made casteist remarks against Prime Minister Narendra Modi, asserting that his comments were directed at the prime minister's "character" and not his caste.
The bureaucrat-turned-politician also said that he is called the "child of Macaulay" for speaking English, and questioned whether PM Modi knows Tamil.
Speaking on the controversy surrounding his alleged past remarks, Aiyar said he never described PM Modi as belonging to a "low caste".
"I never called him a person of 'neecha jaat' (low caste). I said he was a 'low kind of person', referring to his character. That is completely different," he said at a programme in Jaipur on Saturday evening.
Aiyar said his remarks had been misinterpreted and projected in a way that suggested he was referring to his caste. He claimed that the prime minister portrayed the comment as a caste-based insult because Aiyar is a Brahmin.
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The former minister also referred to the controversy over his alleged remark that a "tea seller cannot become the prime minister". Aiyar said he had never made such a statement and that the claim attributed to him was incorrect.
"I never said that because he is a tea seller, he cannot become the prime minister," Aiyar said, adding that his criticism was instead directed at what he described as Modi's "lack of historical knowledge".
According to Aiyar, he had questioned how a person who, in his view, did not know certain historical facts could be in the role (of prime minister) that Jawaharlal Nehru had.
He said that he had referred to historical points such as the fact that Alexander never reached Pataliputra and that while Nalanda is in India, Taxila is now in Pakistan.
Aiyar said that after making those remarks, he had jokingly added that if Modi wanted to distribute tea after losing the election, arrangements could be made.
"Who called him a tea seller? Modi himself said he was a tea seller," Aiyar said.
He also raised doubts about Modi's assertion that he sold tea at a railway platform in his hometown Vadnagar, claiming that the town did not have a railway platform until 1973.
Aiyar alleged that such claims and what he described as "misleading narratives" played a role in Modi's rise to the post of prime minister.
He alleged that remarks made about Muslims have contributed to communal polarisation in the country.
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Kharge calls NDA ‘opportunist alliance thriving on corruption’ at rally
Puducherry (PTI): Senior Congress leader Mallikarjun Kharge on Saturday said the NDA "is an opportunist alliance that thrives on corruption and the looting of public assets".
Addressing a rally of the INDIA bloc in Puducherry, the Congress president said Prime Minister Narendra Modi "had done nothing" for the union territory’s development.
He urged voters to back the INDIA bloc in the April 9 Assembly polls, calling it "an opportunity for the people to fight against divisive forces led by the BJP and RSS, which are destroying unity, harmony, and the progressive spirit of Puducherry."
Kharge also criticised the BJP for neglecting smaller states like Puducherry and made a strong case for granting it statehood, promising, "Congress will secure statehood—this is a guarantee we give to the people here".
He alleged that under the current AINRC-BJP coalition, Puducherry is "riddled with corruption and a 30 per cent commission system," with the NDA government exploiting the union territory, despite it being "one of the country’s most beautiful places".
He expressed concern over "misuse of funds and stalled development", alleging corruption had "seeped into every sector".
Kharge claimed that despite Prime Minister Modi’s zero-tolerance stance on corruption, "everything in practice is being handed to one person, Adani—from land to skies."
He added that the NDA was "exploiting land, temple lands, and public property."
The Congress leader also criticised the AINRC-BJP rule for granting permits for around 450 liquor shops and restaurants over the last five years, claiming, "Instead of providing clean water, the government has been giving liquor to the people."
Kharge compared the current situation with the previous Congress rule, highlighting development across sectors, particularly healthcare. "Hospitals were established here to take care of the health of the people," he said.
Among his promises, Kharge pledged "gold for mangala sutra" for women if Congress is elected, along with free education from primary school to research level.
He reiterated that Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s promises to Puducherry had not materialised and renewed his call for full statehood, citing the lack of powers as a "hindrance" to the elected government.
He recalled that during the previous Congress rule, then Chief Minister V Narayanasamy, who was also present, faced interference from then Lt Governor Kiran Bedi.
Kharge said Congress has always stood with the people and would continue to improve their lives through developmental programmes, as it had during earlier administrations.
The meeting was presided over by Puducherry PCC president V Vaithilingam, and among the speakers was S P Sivakumar of the DMK.
