'Neech' remark row: Mani Shankar Aiyar abuses reporters, calls PM 'coward'

'Neech' remark row: Mani Shankar Aiyar also called Modi the most "foul-mouthed" prime minister the country has seen.

'Neech' remark row: Mani Shankar Aiyar also called Modi the most "foul-mouthed" prime minister the country has seen. (PTI)

Lok Sabha Elections 2019: Congress leader Mani Shankar Aiyar resurfaced and kicked off a controversy on Tuesday with an article justifying his "neech" slur against Narendra Modi, for which he was suspended by his party two years ago. He also called Modi the most "foul-mouthed" prime minister the country has seen. However, when questioned by the reporters over the article he wrote, recalling a slur he directed at Modi in 2017, Congress leader lost his temper and abused the media persons. He pushed aside a microphone, made fists and used an expletive at reporters who questioned him about his 'neech' jibe at Prime Minister Narendra Modi. He also called the prime minister a coward. "Don't you know there is a person in India, Narendra Modi. Haven't you heard about his sharp attacks. Go and ask him questions," he told them in Hindi. "No, He doesn't talk to you as he is a coward. He doesn't talk to the media," he said. Then he raised his arms, waiving them about in an apparent imitation of Modi. He also made a fist at the reporters and pushed away a microphone. "You won't ask me any question," he warned one of them. He then used an expletive in English, while asking them to leave. With another set of reporters during the day, Aiyar was calmer. He said it was just one line in his article and he will not get involved in media's "games". "I am a fool, but not such a big fool," he said Referring to Modi in his article in Rising Kashmir and The Print, Aiyar wrote, "Remember how I described him on 7 December 2017? Was I not prophetic?" In 2017, the former Union minister had called Modi "neech aadmi" following which he was suspended from the Congress party. This time too, the Congress has condemned the remarks in the article.