Senior Congress leader Mani Shankar Aiyar has once again stirred controversy with his remarks about former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi’s educational background. Aiyar, in a video clip shared by BJP IT cell head Amit Malviya, claimed that Gandhi had failed twice in academics before becoming Prime Minister.
“When Rajiv Gandhi became Prime Minister, people thought, I thought, he’s an airline pilot, he has failed twice… I studied with him in Cambridge… he failed there, where it is considered very easy to pass. After this, he took admission in Imperial College London but failed there as well. So, I wondered how such a person could become the Prime Minister,” Aiyar is heard saying in the video.
Malviya, sharing the clip on X, wrote: “Rajiv Gandhi struggled academically, even failing at Cambridge, where passing is relatively easy. He then moved to Imperial College London but failed there as well… Many questioned how someone with his academic record could become the Prime Minister. Let the veil be stripped.”
While the timing of the video’s recording remains unclear, Congress leaders quickly distanced themselves from Aiyar’s remarks. Party leader Ajay Singh Yadav dismissed his comments, stating, “Mani Shankar Aiyar has no relevance in the party. He does not hold any significant position. Therefore, there is no need to give much attention to his statement.”
Congress MP Tariq Anwar defended Rajiv Gandhi’s legacy, emphasizing that academic failures do not determine political success. “Failing is not a big deal; even the best people fail sometimes. But he did not fail in politics. When he was given political responsibility and became Prime Minister, I believe there have been very few Prime Ministers in our country who have achieved as much in just five years,” he said.
Aiyar, who has also authored the book The Rajiv I Knew, has previously been at the center of controversies, often causing embarrassment for his party. The latest remarks have once again provided the BJP with ammunition to target the Congress, while the party attempts to downplay the controversy.
