| Names |
MANI SHANKAR AIYAR |
| Date of
Birth |
April 10, 1941 |
| Identity |
Former Indian
diplomat turned politician |
|
Date-wise Events / Works |
- January 04, 1973: He was
married on this day to Suneet Mani Aiyar.
- 2004: While on a tour of
the Andamans as the Cabinet Minister, he was quoted as
saying at the Cellular Jail there that there was no
difference between the radical right-wing revolutionary Veer
Savarkar, a famous inmate of the prison, and Mohammed Ali
Jinnah, the founder of Pakistan, as they shared a 'divisive'
philosophy. He also ordered that a plaque with a poem
commemorating Savarkar be replaced with a plaque with quotes
from Mahatma Gandhi.
- 2007: As sports minister,
he effectively scuttled India's bid for Asian Games in 2007.
- March 22, 2010: Nominated
as member of the Rajya Sabha.
- August, 2013: In the Rajya
Sabha in August 2013, Samajwadi Party MP Naresh Agarwal
accused Aiyar of being a Pakistani spy, when he refused to
discuss the recent murder of 5 Indian soldiers by the
Pakistani Army and instead suggested discussing rising gas
prices. Aiyar reacted sharply and tried to assault Agarwal.
- 2015: There was widespread
demand for sedition charges against him for making
indiscreet comment in an interview with a Dawn News while
visiting Pakistan. He is said to have suggested removing
Prime Minister Narendra Modi from power, to be able to
continue peace talks between India and Pakistan.
- March 21, 2016: Retired as
member of the Rajya Sabha.
|
| General |
- A member of the Indian National Congress party.
- He was a part of first Cabinet (2004-2009) of Prime
Minister Dr Manmohan Singh.
- He has served as the Union Minister of Panchayati
Raj until he lost his seat in the 2009 election.
- He served as the Union Cabinet Minister for Petroleum
and Natural Gas from May 2004 through January 2006 and
Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports till 2009.
- He was also the first Minister of Development of North
Eastern Region.
- He was defeated in 2014 Lok Sabha election where he
finished fourth and lost his deposit.
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