RS Prasad on Aiyar's 'neech' remark: Abuse is not part of politics

Union Minister of Law and Justice Ravi Shankar Prasad has hit out at suspended Congress leader Mani Shankar Aiyar for his 'neech' remark against Prime Minister Narendra Modi and said fun, pun and satire are part of politics but abuse is not.

Prasad's remark on Friday comes a day after Aiyar took the country by shock after he referred the Prime Minister as a "neech aadmi".

While addressing a gathering here, the Union Minister said: "Fun, pun and satire are part of politics but abuse is not".

Earlier in the day too, Rajya Sabha MP Amar Singh lashed out at the suspended Congress leader for his remark and said the Congress veteran had insulted many politicians in the past, including former Tamil Nadu chief minister Jayalalithaa and Union Minister Uma Bharti.

Singh, while speaking with ANI, recalled an incident when he had a tiff with Aiyar.

"Iss desh ke anek neta Mani peedit hain, iss mein Uma Bharti ji, late Jayalalithaa ji aur tamaam bade bade naam hain. Mai swayam bhi Mani peedit hoon (In this country, many people have been troubled by Mani. He has insulted many influential people like Uma Bharti ji and Jayalalithaaji. I too have had a sour experience with him," he said.

"(Satish) Gujral saab (brother of former PM I K Gujral) ke niwaas par ek bhoj tha; madhyapaan karke, nashe mein choor madmast aadhe ghante itni kroor baatein wo kar rahe the ki humari aur unki ek etihaisik jhadap hui (Once there was dinner at Satish Gujaral's house, after consuming alcohol he was saying such things that I had a historic argument with him," he added.

Singh further said at a time when he had an argument with Aiyar, he gave him a befitting reply.

"The tiff between me and Aiyar became famous across the country," he added.

However, Aiyar later clarified that the 'neech gaffe' happened due to his poor understanding of Hindi language.

Soon after his remark, the Congress suspended him from the primary membership of the party and also issued a show cause notice to him. 

-ANI