NEW DELHI: The Vishva Hindu Parishad (VHP) National Spokesperson, Vinod Bansal, on January 12 criticised veteran Congress leader Mani Shankar Aiyar following his controversial remarks about halting Operation Sindoor.
Speaking with ANI, Bansal said that Aiyar’s comments expose Congress’s “anti-Hindu, Pak-sympathiser” stance, asserting that Congress has completely alienated itself from the cultural and religious sentiments of the majority, stating, “Congress has nothing to do with Hindutva.”
He argued that this ideological disconnect is the primary reason for the party’s string of electoral defeats.
“Congress’ anti-Hindu and Pak-sympathiser side is evident to all. He is the same leader who abuses India when he visits Pakistan. He is the same leader who also says that Operation Sindoor should be stopped…This is the reason Congress stands defeated today. Congress has nothing to do with Hindutva…,” said Bansal.
This comes after a video surfaced of senior Congress leader and former minister Mani Shankar Aiyar, in which he advised the current BJP government to hold talks with Pakistan to end tensions after Operation Sindoor, India’s strategic military response launched in May 2025 following a major terror attack in Pahalgam.
Aiyar advocated for an “uninterrupted and uninterruptible” dialogue with Islamabad, cautioning that a hardline stance against a nuclear-armed neighbour could lead to a “madman” triggering a catastrophe.
Operation Sindoor was initiated on May 7, 2025, as a tri-services action targeting terror infrastructure in Pakistan and PoK after 26 people were killed in Pahalgam. While the government maintains that the operation is “still ongoing.” Aiyar’s plea to terminate it has provided fresh ammunition to the BJP and its ideological affiliates.
The BJP has echoed Bansal’s sentiments, with spokesperson Shehzad Poonawalla mockingly referring to the Congress as the “Islamabad National Congress.”
Bansal reminded Aiyar’s past visits to Pakistan, alleging that the leader has a history of “abusing India” on foreign soil while seeking cooperation from a nation that continues to sponsor terror.
Notably, this is not the first time that Aiyar’s controversial statements have landed him in trouble. Mani Shankar Aiyar’s previous statements have also sparked controversy.
On August 28, 2025, he criticised India’s approach to Pakistan, saying “no one listens” despite efforts to expose Pakistan over the Pahalgam attack. “We are the only ones who keep saying with folded hands, ‘Alas, alas, Pakistan is responsible,’ but no one is willing to accept it.”
On March 5, 2025, Aiyar questioned Rajiv Gandhi’s education, saying he “failed twice” yet became PM. “It’s surprising how a person with such a weak education record became Prime Minister” adding, “When Rajiv became Prime Minister, I thought he was an airline pilot. He had failed twice–how could such a person become Prime Minister?”
On January 1, 2025, he suggested India host Sheikh Hasina “for life” after her refuge. “Sheikh Hasina has done a lot of good for us. We will never disagree with that. I am glad she has been given refuge. I feel that as long as Hasina wants, we should be her hosts, even if it is for a lifetime.” (With inputs from ANI)
