Published 11:12 IST, January 21st 2020
'Look at these cowards': Mum on Pak trip, Mani Shankar Aiyar attacks govt's J&K outreach
Controversial Cong leader Mani Shankar Aiyar, on Monday, launched an attack on 36 Union Cabinet ministers visiting Jammu & Kashmir, by calling them "cowards".
Congress leader Mani Shankar Aiyar on Monday launched an attack on the 36 Union Cabinet ministers visiting Jammu and Kashmir, by calling them "cowards". Aiyar, who is known for making controversial remarks, while addressing a public gathering on CAA in Malappuram said, "They are sending 36 Union Ministers to Jammu and Kashmir. But, look at these cowards, 31 are going to Jammu and only five to Kashmir." This comes just days after Aiyar had returned from Pakistan where he had met an aide of Pakistan PM Imran Khan, and had also spoken against India on Pakistan soil yet again.
'Whom are they going to talk to?'
He further questioned, "And who are they going to talk in Kashmir? To the former Chief Ministers? They can't. They are all in jail. Farooq Abdullah is in jail. Omar Abdullah is in jail. Mehbooba (Mufti) is in jail. Whom are they going to talk to?" On January 15, it was reported that in a massive outreach by the Centre in Jammu and Kashmir, two months after it formally became a union territory, about 36 Union Ministers are scheduled to visit it from January 18-25 to meet people on the ground and seek their feedback on various developmental initiatives and schemes.
'They are trying to create a political crisis'
Referring to the majority of the BJP in the Lok Sabha, Aiyar said, "Immediately...these arrogant people, it just went to their heads. They said this is the golden opportunity. We are never going to get 303 seats again. Let us push through all the anti-Muslim legislation that we have in mind." Meanwhile, commenting on the abrogation of Article 370 and 35A of the Constitution in Jammu and Kashmir as well as the bifurcation of the erstwhile state, Aiyar said, "They are trying to create a political class. Political class grows from among the people. You cannot have a BJP that doesn't have a single vote in the Valley coming up."
"Yes, there are traitors like the ones we are seeing now, but then in every society, there are traitors. These are not representatives of the people, if they were, they would have been elected many many years ago...How many elections we have had in J-K? Some of these people are those who were elected and have now decided to betray the cause for which they stood," he said.
Aiyar breaks silence on his Shaheen Bagh visit
Commenting on the Shaheen Bagh protests, the Congress leader said, "And why are they so frightened of going to Shaheen Bagh? For 34 days, they have been sitting there protesting against this attempt to divide India once again on religious grounds." Aiyar had waded into controversy while visiting Shaheen Bagh last week to express solidarity with those protesting against the CAA. He had addressed the protestors and made a veiled reference at the government, equating it to killers.
In a telephonic conversation with Republic TV on Wednesday, Congress leader Mani Shankar Aiyar confirmed that he was in Pakistan's Lahore, days before addressing the indefinite Shaheen Bagh sit-in at the National Capital. The BJP has demanded an apology from the Congress for Aiyar's remarks.
(with inputs from ANI)
Updated 11:12 IST, January 21st 2020