BJP Criticizes Congress Over Mani Shankar Aiyar's 1962 Remarks

The BJP has accused Mani Shankar Aiyar of displaying an anti-India mindset by describing the 1962 Chinese attack on India as an 'alleged' invasion. BJP spokesperson Gaurav Bhatia claimed Aiyar's statement came with Rahul Gandhi's concurrence, and criticized Congress for distancing itself from controversial remarks by its leaders.

The BJP claimed on Wednesday that Mani Shankar Aiyar's description of the Chinese attack on India in 1962 as an ''alleged'' invasion shows the ''anti-India'' mindset of the Congress and is an signal to ''enemy'' countries to interfere in the electoral process here as the opposition is facing a ''rout''.

BJP national spokesperson Gaurav Bhatia alleged that Aiyar could not have made such a statement without the concurrence of Rahul Gandhi and also took a swipe at Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge for his ''silence'' over the issue.

Aiyar had made the remarks at a book launch event on Tuesday, kicking up a row and embarrassing his party and handing over an issue to the BJP for yet another time with his controversial comments.

Aiyar, though, immediately issued an apology to defuse the crisis, while the Congress also distanced itself from the veteran leader.

Bhatia suggested that the Congress has often distanced itself from such controversial remarks of its leaders, and said the party should instead distance itself from countries like China.

He noted that the Congress party had signed an MoU with the China's ruling Communist party when the UPA was in power, and said the opposition party has not disclosed its details yet.

Rahul Gandhi can betray India but not go against China, Bhatia alleged, and also called the donations given to the Rajiv Gandhi Foundation by the Chinese embassy as a ''bribe''.