Overview

• Mani Shankar Aiyar's remarks about Rajiv Gandhi's academic failures at Cambridge and Imperial College have drawn widespread criticism from within Congress and the BJP.
• Aiyar stated in an interview that he was initially surprised by Rajiv Gandhi becoming Prime Minister but later described him as an excellent leader.
• The BJP has used Aiyar's comments to target Congress, while Congress leaders have labeled Aiyar as 'irrelevant' and accused him of damaging the party's image.
• Congress figures defended Rajiv Gandhi's legacy, highlighting his contributions to India's IT revolution, Panchayati Raj, and economic liberalization.
• Aiyar acknowledged that his remarks could be misused politically and expressed relief that Congress had clarified his views do not represent the party's stance.