India should respect Pak as it has atom bomb, says Cong veteran Mani Shankar Aiyar

New Delhi, May 10 (IANS) After Sam Pitroda's controversial statements, another veteran Congress leader Mani Shankar Aiyar has triggered a fresh row by saying that "India should give respect to Pakistan as it has atom bomb".

In an interview that has gone viral now, Aiyar says, "India should give respect to Pakistan as it has an atom bomb! If we don't give them respect, they'll think of using an atom bomb against India. India showing muscular policy should not forget that Pakistan also has muscle (atom bomb) at Kahuta (Rawalpindi)."

BJP spokesperson Shehzad Poonawalla launched a blistering attack on Aiyar's remarks on India's relations with Pakistan. Accusing the Congress of maintaining close ties with Pakistan, he said, "Despite Pakistan's involvement in terrorist activities against India, Aiyar talks about respecting them."

He asserted that Aiyar's remarks exemplify Congress' ongoing affinity toward Pakistan, a nation known for harbouring and supporting terrorists targeting India.

The BJP spokesperson said, "When support came from Pakistan for the Congress, their leaders gave a clean chit to Kasab and Pakistan for 26/11. Shashi Tharoor used words with a language similar to Pakistan's for Kashmir. Many Congress leaders made statements regarding the Pulwama and Poonch terrorist attacks, and now Mani Shankar Aiyar, by standing with terrorists and supporting Pakistan, shows the Congress' hand with terrorists and Pakistan, and now another evidence of this has come to light."

Slamming Aiyar, BJP leader Major Surendra Poonia posted on X, "Mani Shankar Aiyyar is batting on behalf of ISI and wants India to sit in lap of Pakistan ! Why Congressis have so much love for Pakistan it’s in their SYSTEM."

Aiyar's statement comes soon after the resignation of Congress overseas chief Sam Pitroda, a close aide of Rahul Gandhi, whose statements have embarrassed the grand old party.

Aiyar is also no stranger to controversy. He has been regularly making statements in favour of Pakistan and against Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

In 2015, Aiyar, during a panel discussion with a Pakistani anchor said that PM Modi has to be removed. "The first and the foremost thing is to remove Modi. Only then can the talks move forward. We have to wait for four more years… Bring us back to power and remove them..."

Again, very recently Aiyar took potshots at the Modi government during an event in Lahore. He said: "We have the courage to conduct surgical strikes against you, but we don't have the courage to sit across the table and talk."