The Congress played into the BJP’s hands with one of its senior leaders, Mani Shankar Aiyar, calling Prime Minister Narendra Modi a “neech” aadmi (low-class person) in a remark reminiscent of his “chai wallah” jibe, also aimed at Modi ahead of the 2014 Lok Sabha polls, and Congress president Sonia Gandhi’s “maut ka saudagar” (merchant of death) comment dating back to 2007, also targeting Modi.
Modi, campaigning in Gujarat ahead of the first phase of polling to the state assembly on Saturday, lost no time in terming Aiyar’s remark an “insult to Gujarat’s pride”.
The Congress rushed into damage control mode and Aiyar apologised after being chastised by party vice president Rahul Gandhi. He was later suspended from the primary membership of the party but the damage may have already been done.
The BJP and Congress are locked in an intense battle for Gujarat, Modi’s home state, where the BJP has been in power for 22 years.
“Isn’t it an insult to Gujarati asmita (pride)? Isn’t it an insult of Indian ethos? They can call me ‘neech jaati’. Yes, I am from the poor section of the society and will spend every moment of my life to work for the poor, Dalits, tribals and backward classes,” Modi said at an election rally in Surat. As the crowd chanted “Modi, Modi”, he said: “They can keep their language and we will do our work.”
“Ye aadmi bahut neech kisam ka aadmi hai, ismein koi sabhyata nahi hai, aur aise mauke par is kisam ki gandi rajneeti karne ki kya avashyakta hai? (This man is a low-life person, he isn’t cultured… on this occasion, why does he need to do dirty politics?),” Aiyar told a news agency earlier in the day, reacting to Modi’s allegation that the Congress had tried to “erase” Dr BR Ambedkar’s contributions to nation-building during a function to open the Ambedkar International Centre in the Capital.
Gandhi was quick to try and contain the damage. “BJP and PM routinely use filthy language to attack the Congress party. The Congress has a different culture and heritage. I do not appreciate the tone and language used by Mr Mani Shankar Aiyar to address the PM. Both the Congress and I expect him to apologise for what he said,” he tweeted.
Congress party’s chief spokesman Randeep Singh Surjewala tweeted that the party had issued a showcause notice to Aiyar and suspended him from the primary membership. “This is Congress party’s Gandhiwaad and sense of respect towards its rivals. Can Modiji (Prime Minister Narendra Modi) ever show such conviction?” he posted on the micro-blogging site.
Sensing the mood in the party, Aiyar relented, telling reporters, “I never meant low-born. There is a difference in English language between words ‘low’ and ‘low-born’. But in Hindi if low means low-born, I tender apology.”
Senior BJP leaders, however, latched on to Aiyar’s remarks to attack the opposition party. “Yamraj, Maut Ka Saudagar, Ravan, Gandi Nali Ka Keeda, Monkey, Rabies Victim, Virus, Bhasmasur, Gangu Teli, Goon… These are some words or phrases Congress has used for PM @narendramodi in the past. Not much has changed. We wish them well. We will continue to serve 125 crore Indians,” tweeted BJP president Amit Shah.