Boycott Congress After Mani Shankar Aiyar Abuses Reporters: BJP To Media

The BJP on Wednesday said the media in Himachal Pradesh should boycott the Congress to protest its leader Mani Shankar Aiyar's objectionable behaviour with reporters.

"This is probably the first time that anyone has used such abusive language against the media, considered as the fourth pillar of democracy," BJP spokesperson Shahnawaz Hussain told reporters. 

He asked the media to boycott the Congress over the issue.

Reacting to it, state Congress president Kuldeep Singh Rathore said he was not aware of the incident involving Aiyar.

"I am unaware about any such happening. Moreover he was not on official tour to Shimla," he said.

Mr Aiyar on Tuesday pushed aside microphone, made fists and used an expletive at reporters who questioned him about his "neech" jibe at Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

The Congress leader lost his temper at TV reporters who met him at the Punjab government guest house here and questioned him over an article he wrote, recalling a slur he directed at Modi in 2017 which was latched onto by the BJP to target the Congress during the Gujarat polls.

Mr Hussain also hit out at Congress leader Navjot Singh Sidhu, saying ''both Aiyar and Sidhu are fond of abusing Indian Prime Minister and applauding Pakistan Prime Minister" and claimed Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh forbade Mr Sidhu from campaigning in the state.

"Have you ever heard that star campaigner of any party is not doing electioneering in his home state. While Amarinder forbade him from campaigning, Sidhu made excuse of sore throat.''

"Punjab minister and Congress star campaigner Navjot Sidhu is fond of issuing pro-Pak statements like another Congress leader Mani Shankar Aiyar who once said during his Pakistan visit that Pakistan's help is required to remove Modi.

"That is why Amarinder has forbidden Sidhu from campaigning in Punjab as the former knows that whatever Sidhu says will benefit the BJP,''" Mr Hussain said.