If I.N.D.I.A comes to power in 2024, will Pak dialogue begin? Mani Shankar Aiyar responds

When asked about the beginning of dialogues with Pakistan, if I.N.D.I.A alliance comes to power in 2024, Congress leader Mani Shankar Aiyar said, "I don't know because I don't think that I will become the External Affairs Minister...Ask the INDIA alliance PM about it...I have always been in its favour (of dialogue)...Rahul Gandhi meets me very rarely."

Congress leader defiant over controversial remark 

The Congress leader while speaking to the Republic TV remained defiant over his controversial remark on former prime minister PV Narasimha Rao. “Rao was communal and the first BJP PM of the country,” said Aiyar’s controversial remark. 

"Well, the man earned it." He stated, "I explained it already and I will repeat it again-- When in 1990, Rajiv Gandhi decided the first political action of the Congress party in opposition would be the convention against communalism. He asked MJ Akhbar and me to write the theme and advised us to see Narasimha Rao beforehand. And when we met him, after a few minutes he called it cliched and meant nothing,” said Aiyar. 

On being asked if the remark was a clear defamation of a former Prime Minister, Mani Shankar sternly replied, "Not at all, not at all." 

Narasimha Rao’s grandson hits out at Congress leader 

Hitting out at the Congress leader for the controversial remark, PV Narasimha Rao's grandson and BJP spokesperson N V Subhash on Thursday alleged that it was the culture of Congress to defame its own leaders after their death.

The BJP spokesperson said that the grand old party can stoop to any level to defame Narasimha Rao. 

“It was Congress culture to diminish the image of its own party veteran leaders after their death in a bid to encourage the image of the dynastic Gandhi family,” he said.