Mani Shankar Aiyar hurls ‘tukde’ jibe at Sangh Parivar. BJP hits back

Senior Congress leader Mani Shankar Aiyar is known for his controversial remarks in the past.

Updated on: Dec 28, 2022, 23:55:10 IST

By HT News Desk | Written by Aryan Prakash

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Senior Congress leader Mani Shankar Aiyar on Wednesday hit out at at the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh, accusing it of breaking India into pieces.

“On the basis of religion, language, caste and culture, the people of Sangh Parivar have been breaking India into 'tukde tukde' (pieces). The Yatra is being undertaken against their wrong actions as there is a need for uniting India. We feel it”, PTI quoted Aiyar who made the remark during the Congress Foundation Day.

Congress leader Mani Shankar Aiyar (Pardeep Pandit/HT Photo)

The 81-year-old leader, who has sparked controversies with his statements, was asked if India is fragmented. He replied, “I can see that happen. Can't you see... There is much effort to break it (country)..”.

Aiyar's remarks evoked response from the Bharatiya Janata Party, with party spokesperson Shehzad Poonawalla tweeted,"Congress itself is broken from Rajasthan to Karnataka now once again to undermines Sardar Patel. Mani Shankar Aiyyar says Bharat Tuta Hua hai!So Sardar Patel was unable to unite India & Rahul Gandhi will do it? Only time India was broken was due to partition thanks to INC".

"Therefore, Mani Shankar Aiyar, you must explain - Is Sardar Patel and his contribution being undermined by you and the Congress Party," he alleged.

"Today, this is not 'Bharat Jodo'. This is actually a Yatra of Bharat todo, nafrat jodo' (break India and spread hatred) by the kind of elements they have taken together right from George Ponniah to Medha Patkar to many others," PTI quoted the BJP spokesperson.

The BJP has accused the Congress of backing the ‘tukde tukde gang', the elements it alleges are trying to break the country. Aiyar has often made remarks in the past which not only sparked controversies, but helped the BJP to encash on it and gain public sympathy.

Ahead of the 2014 Lok Sabha polls, he had made the infamous ‘chaiwallah’ remark on then BJP prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi, asking him to open a tea stall outside Delhi's Talkatora Stadium. He was suspended in 2017 after he called PM Modi a ‘neech kisam ka aadmi’ (lowly man) during the Gujarat polls. His suspension was later revoked by the Grand Old Party.

(With PTI inputs)

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