 "Naidu dubs Aiyar's remark on removing Modi 'disgusting'")
Union Urban Development Minister M. Venkaiah Naidu on Wednesday dubbed the comments made by senior Congress leaders Mani Shankar Aiyar and Salman Khurshid as 'disgusting and anti national', saying it was not apt on the part of the grand old party that claims to have 120 figures of seniority and history.
"The comments they made in the Pakistani side, to a Pakistani television, and their subsequent justification after initially denying the same shows that they have no shame. The party which is supposed to be claiming that they have 120 figures of seniority and history allow such comments to be made by such senior leaders," he said.
Naidu also took potshots at Aiyar for defending his comments after initially denying the same.
"He (Aiyyar) initially denied it and when the video clippings were shown he strongly defended it and some Congressmen are also now shamelessly defending his comments," he said.
"On national TV channels yesterday, Mr. Aiyar vehemently defended what he said and said it was his right to express his views. Mr. Aiyar's statements are clearly aimed at destabilising the democratically elected popular government led by Prime Minister Modi," he added.
The Union Minister said that to make such statements on a foreign soil amounted to treason.
"The entire country's watching what action the Congress party will take on this irresponsible and anti-national comments by their two senior leaders," he said.
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Naidu also took the opportunity to question Congress' stand on the Kashmir issue and their indecisiveness about the same.
"The Congress was in power for too many years, almost 50 years. They must now explain why the Kashmir issue was not resolved. Why peace was not restored? Why there was no improvement of Indo-Pakistan relations all these years?" he asked.
"Now it's widely published that Pakistani leadership is only a puppet of self-serving military establishment and non-state terrorist organisations. They never walked the talk. But in spite of that, because they are our neighbour, we are keen on improving our relationships with our neighbours including Pakistan," he added.
Aiyar had earlier told a Pakistani news channel that the gridlock in ties between India and Pakistan could be resolved only after Prime Minister Narendra Modi is removed from the seat of power.
"Humey le aaiye, inhe hataiye (remove them, bring us)...The first and the foremost thing is to remove Modi," he said.
Khurshid, the former external affairs minister, had also made critical remarks against Prime Minister Modi in Islamabad last week.