By Sushil Kutty
Veteran by far among vintage Congress leaders, Mani Shankar Aiyar is used to reminisce, dive deep into his cup of life and like a magician with a hat pull something or the other from his cache of memories. The rabbits more often than not landing him in controversies with the butt of his off-the-cuff remarks a rung or two above his own station in the political firmament.
Like for example, Prime Minister Narendra Modi or a former Prime Minister no longer in the firmament to take offence but with plenty of followers and relatives to feel insulted and slighted by this man who is forever giving the impression he is one foot in the grave and the other in his mouth.
His latest butt, the one-term late Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi, who doesn’t need introduction, least of all that of Mani Shankar Aiyar, who would have simply gone with the wind and vanished into the blue but for Rajiv Gandhi.
The other day, Aiyar pulled a rabbit and it turned out to be Rajiv Gandhi with some pejoratives attached, which is a Mani Shankar Aiyar-speciality that people latch on to, to take swipes and side-swipes at this political sidewinder of no mean repute, born on the other side of the Wagah, too.
In fact, Mani Shankar can be downright mean in his assessments of current and late political leaders. Prime Minister Narendra Modi is a favourite butt of Mani Shankar Aiyar’s insults. From ‘Chaiwala’ to ‘Neech’, Modi has been decorated with all sorts of hats by Aiyar.
The other day, Aiyar concentrated his considerable hidden ire against the benefactor he should be kneeling down to, Rajiv Gandhi. The much-read ‘Mani’, or ‘precious stone’, revealed to every Congressman and Congress-woman’s disgust that Rajiv Gandhi had failed in Cambridge and at London’s Imperial College, what a shameful record!
The vulture in the BJP couldn’t have been more poised. It dived and swept up this morsel, a tasty Mani Shankar Aiyar tidbit if any. The BJP amplified the Aiyar comment prompting Congress leaders to call him “irrelevant and frustrated”. One Congress spokesperson going the whole hog and describing Aiyar a “sleeper cell of the BJP.”
Of all the things, Rajiv Gandhi’s academic failures! Whoever thought? Aiyar was back to counting coups. The old man of the political sea was an incorrigible and irreconcilable rascal. What the heck, what got into him, wasn’t life treating him nice? Why, of all the people, take Rajiv Gandhi to the cleaners?
Failing at Cambridge and failing at Imperial College are insulting to the institutions, what did Rajiv Gandhi have to do with this poor record? The Congress veteran was embarrassing the party leadership. His remarks on Rajiv Gandhi despicable reminders of the man’s ingratitude.
“He is a pilot. He has failed twice. I was with him at Cambridge. He failed there. And failing in Cambridge is very difficult. It is easy to get a first-class. This is because the university wants to maintain its image and tries to ensure everyone at least passes. Then he went to Imperial College, London, and failed again. So I thought how can such a person be Prime Minister?” Aiyar held forth.
Wow! The clip on YouTube went viral. Aiyar was responding to a question if Rahul Gandhi, the Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha, had the gravitas to “lead the Congress party, strategise and make decisions?”
Aiyar pivoted to former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi and how she was called “gungi gudiya” (a mute doll) and then she evolved into a powerful voice. Her son Rajiv Gandhi, said Aiyar, spoke about his academic failures and was surprised when chosen for the top post. “But I now say he was an excellent Prime Minister.”
Aiyar also referred to Sonia Gandhi and how she was called a “foreigner” at the start, but later became a key player in the political landscape. As for Rahul Gandhi and how the Gandhi scion functioned, Aiyar chose to hold back, the man is not entirely a reckless fool.
“I know their family history. That tells me they may seem incapable initially, but a change comes when they face challenges and show their capability. So we will see,” said the viral clip, which spoke of Rajiv Gandhi’s academic failures.
For the BJP, the clip and its contents were like breakfast, lunch and dinner. “Rajiv Gandhi struggled academically, even failing at Cambridge, where passing is relatively easy. He then moved to Imperial College London but failed there as well… Many questioned how someone with his academic record could become the Prime Minister. Let the veil be stripped,” a BJP talking head said, chewing on the tidbit.
In contrast, Congress leaders were incensed, launching personal attacks against Aiyar, who couldn’t have complained as this was what he specialised in, personal attacks, which left the Congress red-faced.
Rajiv Gandhi is a sensitive subject for the Congress, especially when his widow and son control and run the Congress party in these trying times for the Congress.
“He took concrete steps for the liberalisation of the economy as well. Unfortunately, a section of the party (Congress) did not stand with him, or else the country’s history would have been something else,” said a top Congress leader while another wisely added, “Failing is not a big deal; even the best people fail sometimes. But he did not fail in politics. When he was given the responsibility and became Prime Minister.”
Aiyar laughed away the question if he was ready to mentor Rahul Gandhi, “I have been ready to mentor him for 20 years. He does not want it. He dislikes me. And who am I to impose my opinion on him?”
Shows Aiyar is not beyond an iota of humility? Maybe, it was one of his off-days for coming up with the best and most hard-hitting off-the cuff remarks. Maybe, he is losing touch. Mani Shankar Aiyar can do better. (IPA Service)
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