Congress continues its poll time foot-in-mouth ritual Mani Shankar Aiyar, Jairam Ramesh, Salman Khurshid

Salman Khurshid Book Controvery: It all started with Congress president Sonia Gandhi calling Narendra Modi 'maut ka saudagar' (merchant of death) during 2007 Gujarat assembly election campaigning. Congress leaders appear least interested in learning for past mistakes of issuing controversial remarks offering the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) heavy ammunition to target it. Salman Khurshid is the latest to join the list of veteran Congress leaders who by their statements have triggered a massive row just months ahead of crucial elections.

The BJP, in the past, has used such remarks by Congress functionaries to carry out an all out attack on the grand old party during poll campaign. The saffron party would believe that the Salman Khurshid row has come just at the right time ahead of assembly elections in the crucial state of Uttar Pradesh and others.

Mani Shankar Aiyar's 'chaiwala', 'neech insan' remarks

Under heavy pressure from all corners, the Congress had suspended senior leader Mani Shankar Aiyar for referring to Prime Minister Narendra Modi as 'neech insan' during 2017 Gujarat election campaigning. The BJP cashed on his remark to script a comfortable victory in assembly elections. Aiyar's suspension was revoked months later.

Aiyar's infamous 'chaiwala' statement against Modi is widely believed to have helped the BJP win big in 2014 Lok Sabha elections.

Not to be left too behind, Congress President Rahul Gandhi himself had once referred to PM Modi as ‘khoon ka dalal‘ after the surgical strikes.

When Rahul Gandhi called PM Modi 'khoon ka dalal'

Slamming PM Modi for doing politics over the 2016 cross-LoC surgical strikes, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi had used words like 'khoon ka dalal' for him.

Jairam Ramesh's 'more temple than toilets' statement

The then Union Minister Jairam Ramesh's statement 'there are more temples in the country than toilets' in 2012 had trigered massive protests by several rightwing organisations, including Vishva Hindu Parishad (VHP) and Bajrang Dal.

PM Modi shredded Sam Pitroda for his 'hua to hua' remark

In May 2019, the Congress was left red-faced after party leader Sam Pitroda's 'hua to hua' remark over the 1984 anti-Sikh riots. While the Congress had then distanced itself from Pitroda's statement, PM Modi used to tear into the party saying it showed the 'character and arrogance' of the party.

Pitroda, who was then the Overseas Congress chief, had later apologised for his statement but blamed it on his 'poor Hindi'.

"The statement I made was completely twisted, taken out of context because my Hindi isn't good, what I meant was 'jo hua wo bura hua', I couldn't translate 'bura' in my mind," Pitroda had said.

Salman Khurshid - latest to join Congress' infamous list

Senior Congress leader Salman Khurshid released his book 'Sunrise over Ayodhya: Nationhood in Our Times' on Wednesday (November 10). Khurshid in his book has compared has compared Hindutva to radical jihadist groups like the ISIS and Boko Haram which has now invited sharp critcism from BJP and Shiv Sena.

On page no.113 of the book, it has stated that "Sanatan Dharma and classical Hinduism known to sages and saints were being pushed aside by a robust version of Hindutva, by all standards a political version similar to the jihadist Islam of groups like ISIS and Boko Haram of recent years."

The controversy surrounding Khurshid's book has come just months ahead of UP assembly elections and the BJP is certain to highlight it during campaigning that is certain to get more polarised in days to come.