An FIR has been registered in Jaipur against senior Congress leader and former Union Minister Mani Shankar Aiyar over allegedly objectionable remarks about Prime Minister Narendra Modi, sparking political controversy and protests by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).

The complaint follows a public lecture delivered by Aiyar in Jaipur on March 14 titled “The Future of India: Pseudo-Hinduism or Secular Bharat?” at Kanodia College. During the event, Aiyar attempted to clarify a controversial remark he made in 2017 about the Prime Minister. According to Aiyar, his earlier statement referred to Modi’s character and conduct rather than his caste, asserting that his words had been misrepresented over time.

The controversy intensified after a video of the lecture circulated on social media, prompting sharp reactions from BJP leaders and supporters. Party workers staged a protest at Gandhi Circle in Jaipur, raising slogans against Aiyar and demanding an apology. Several BJP leaders participated in the demonstration, including state general secretaries Shravan Singh Bagdi and Bhupendra Saini, former Member of Parliament Ramcharan Bohra, former Rajasthan Women’s Commission chairperson Suman Sharma, and Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha state president Shankar Gora.

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The FIR was filed following a complaint by a local resident, Babulal Tanwar, at the Gandhinagar police station. Tanwar alleged that Aiyar used indecent and derogatory language while referring to the Prime Minister during the lecture held at the college campus. The complaint further claimed that the remarks were intended to create social discord and hurt public sentiment, and that the video of the statement was subsequently circulated online.

Tanwar also alleged that the remarks were part of a broader conspiracy involving senior leaders of the Congress party at both the national and state levels. Police officials said they are examining the available evidence and assessing the seriousness of the allegations before proceeding further with the investigation.

Responding to the controversy, Aiyar denied making any casteist remarks and maintained that his comments were directed solely at the Prime Minister’s behaviour. He said he had used the phrase “low-class person” in reference to Modi’s conduct, not his caste, and argued that the statement was later distorted. Aiyar also denied claims that he had questioned Modi’s background as a tea seller, stating that he had only made a satirical observation about the Prime Minister’s understanding of history and had raised doubts about the timeline associated with the Vadnagar railway station narrative.

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