That Mani Shankar Aiyar has had a rough time since he referred to Prime Minister Narendra Modi as a neech aadmi on December 7 is well known. Not only was he suspended from the Congress, Modi made extensive references to Aiyar in the campaign for Gujarat. However, the most serious allegation was the claim that Aiyar had organised a 'secret' meeting at his house involving former prime minister Manmohan Singh and Pakistani officials.
Now, writing in his exclusive column in the forthcoming issue of THE WEEK, MANI-FESTO, Aiyar claims that the meeting was rooted in his friendship with former Pakistani foreign minister Khurshid Mahmud Kasuri, which began in 1961 when they were studying in Cambridge.
Aiyar claims, “Khurshid told me he had sought me out because he had never met a Hindu in his life.” Aiyar declares that Kasuri is the “best friend India has ever had in Pakistan, certainly the most influential best friend.”
He reveals that Kasuri as Pakistan's foreign minister from 2003 to 2008 had brought the two nations to the brink of a settlement on Kashmir, which was disrupted as the Pervez Musharraf regime became unstable and the Mumbai attacks occurred.
Aiyar claims that he suggested that the duo meet up when Kasuri visited New Delhi for a wedding on December 6. He writes, “I decided to spice it up by inviting about 15 top-level India experts on Pakistan. The purpose was to give Khurshid full exposure to informed Indian perspectives and concerns.”
Aiyar invited a host of officials, including Singh and two former foreign ministers: one each from the Congress and BJP; the BJP member couldn't attend due to some commitments in Vidarbha.
At the meeting, Aiyar reveals, “One of the participants had bluntly told him (Kasuri) that so long as snatching Kashmir from us was Pakistan’s bottom-line, there is little point in a dialogue.”
Aiyar claims that Modi termed the meeting as a conspiracy as he was “fighting for his political life in Gujarat.”
