Mani Shankar Aiyar, a Congress leader, recently made headlines when he referred to the 1962 India-China war as the “alleged Chinese invasion” during a New Delhi event. Later, Aiyar expressed regret over his use of the word “alleged” before “Chinese invasion” and apologized “unreservedly.” But the BJP quickly condemned his words, charging that the Congress was trying to change the course of history.
The BJP spokesperson, Amit Malviya, criticized Aiyar’s remarks by bringing up supposed instances of Congress-China ties, including as Nehru’s reported ceding of India’s claim to a permanent seat at the UNSC to China. Amidst increasing border tensions, the BJP exploited Aiyar’s remarks to further its narrative of Congress’s alleged softness towards China.
As a reaction to the criticism, the Congress made an effort to disassociate itself from Aiyar’s statements by restating the indisputable truth of the 1962 Chinese incursion and the most recent border conflicts in Ladakh. Jairam Ramesh, a senior Congress politician, explained the party’s position, stressing that Aiyar’s opinions did not reflect the party’s official position.
Adding to Aiyar’s history of divisive remarks comes this episode, which also includes a recent viral video in which he called for talks with Pakistan despite the latter’s nuclear weapons program. Given the rising tensions between the two countries, Aiyar’s comments sparked discussions about India-Pakistan relations once again.
