The day after senior Congress leader Mani Shankar Aiyar’s barb against Gujarat Chief Minister and BJP’s prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi at the AICC session saying Modi would not become the Prime Minister in 21st Century and that he could sell tea at the AICC session for which the Congress would provide the space, has come into severe criticism by BJP activists and NaMo brigade.
A group of activists belonging to NaMo brigade in coastal town of Mangalore, the stronghold of the party, on Saturday had a novel way to protest against Aiyar by supplying tea to morning walkers in many parks across the town. The team, led by a Gujarati Muslim Irfan Iqbal Ghetta, supplied tea to morning walkers, autorickshaw drivers and other onlookers with a slogan ‘Chailwala for PM’ at many parks include pumpwell circle in Mangalore.
Ghetta said, “We are keen to serve the nation even if we are chaiwalas. It is definitely chaiwala Modi for PM.” According to Naresh Shenoy, convener of Namo brigade, the protest was to tell people about badmouth Aiyar and his frivolous comments against Modi. He said, “Aiyar had made such frivolous comments about other Hindu leaders in past also. It was our way of telling Aiyar that his frivolous comments are not tolerated and people are alive to developments.”
Protests by the BJP and right wing groups were also held at Bangalore, Davanagere , Hubli and other places. According to S Prakash of the BJP, the party will continue to protest against Aiyar till he apologises. He said, “Aiyar’s barb against our PM candidate Modi is very low and he has to take his comment back. We are in a democracy and a chaiwala will become PM.”