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Union Minister Rajeev Chandrasekhar slammed the Congress over its party leader Mani Shankar Aiyar's remarks, asserting "this is a new Bharat" and "wouldn't be scared away".
In an April 15 interview with 'Chill Pill', Aiyar said that Pakistan is a respected nation that also possesses an atom bomb so India must enter into a dialogue with them. Responding to this, Chandrasekhar said, "...Be it, Mani Shankar Aiyar or Sam Pitroda, it shows a pattern of the Congress' ideology and policies...." "He (Aiyar) is kind of doing Public Relations of Pakistan. He is suggesting that India should be frightened of Pakistan and respect Pakistan. This is a new Bharat. It will not be scared away by anyone. I am saying it responsibility that Rahul Gandhi's Congress party have become an apologist for the terrorism of Pakistan. A defender. I am certain that Congress party leaders will say they are distancing themselves(from such remarks). It has become their routine," he told reporters here. Meanwhile, the Congress party in their first reaction to Aiyar's remarks said that Mani Shankar Aiyar does not represent the official stand of the Congress. "Mani Shankar Aiyar doesn't hold an official position. So, whatever he says is his personal opinion. Congress has no such stand. Congress is not speaking anything on it," Congress leader Udit Raj said. Aiyar further said there have been no efforts from India to reach out to Pakistan in the last ten years. In an interview with Chill Pill Mani Shankar Aiyar on April 15 said, "They are also a sovereign country (Pakistan). They are a respected nation. You can talk tough with them (Pakistan). But start the dialogue. You are walking with a gun which yielded you nothing. Tensions are escalating. And if a mad person comes there, what will happen to the nation? They have an atom bomb. We also possess the atomic bomb. But if a mad person detonates our bomb at Lahore station, so within eight seconds, eight moments, its radioactivity will reach Amritsar. He added: "So you should prevent the use of atomic bombs. But, if you start a dialogue with them (Pakistan) and encourage them (by considering them as), then they should start thinking about their atomic bomb. But if you snub them, then a mad person will come and detonate the bomb. Then what will happen?" He also took a veiled attack on Prime Minister Narendra Modi alleging that there had been no effort to reach out to Pakistan in 10 years. "We must understand that to become the 'Vishwaguru' (global leader), it is important to show that we are working rapidly to solve (all the bilateral issues) with Pakistan. There has been no effort (on the part of the government) to ( reach out to Pakistan) in the last ten years," the Congress leader added. Earlier on May 5, responding to Union Defence Minister Rajnath Singh's remark that "PoK will be merged with India," Jammu and Kashmir National Conference leader Farooq Abdullah said that Pakistan is not wearing bangles and also has atom bombs that they would use. (ANI)
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