Zee Media Bureau
New Delhi: Congress vice president Rahul Ganndhi on Thursday disapproved of party leader Mani Shankar Aiyar`s tea vendor remarks against Bharatiya Janata Party`s prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi and directed the party spokespersons not to make personal attacks against the opposition leaders.
Rahul today held an hour long meeting with some Congress leaders who will be representing the party in media and told them that making personal remarks against the opposition leaders is wrong.
Rahul made the remark after party MP Bhalchandra Mungekar said that remarks like denigrating the "chaiwala" (tea seller) will not do the party any good, according to a PTI report.
"Do not denigrate chaiwala. Such comments are unnecessary and they may derail the debate," Mungekar, who is one of the TV panelists of the party, said.
Rahul`s remark is significant given the fact that BJP is exploiting Aiyar`s jibe at Modi to the hilt to reach out to voters. It has announced the launch of a campaign that will allow people to engage with Modi over a cup of tea.
Aiyar, a known critic of Modi, last month had said the Gujarat Chief Minister can never become the PM in 21st century. “Give my word, Modi will never be PM in the 21st century, if he wants to sell tea here (AICC meet), we can arrange for it,” Mani Shankar Aiyar was quoted as saying by a news agency.
In December last year, Aiyar had called Modi a joker and attacked him for his alleged lack of knowledge about history and economics.
Last year Union Minister Jairam Ramesh had described Modi as `Bhasmasur`, a mythological character known for trying to destroy his creator, and said the Gujarat chief minister has "consumed" his mentor LK Advani.
"Modi is Bhasmasur. He will consume the people who have created him. He has consumed his mentor, Mr Advani. He has consumed Togadia, one of his co-conspirator in 2002 and he is nothing but a Bhasmasur," the minister was quoted by PTI.
