'I've Been Ready For 20 Years But...': Mani Shankar Aiyar On Mentoring Rahul Gandhi

Last Updated:March 06, 2025, 16:38 IST

Aiyar revealed that he has been ready to guide Gandhi for the past 20 years, but the Congress leader does not want his advice, saying that Rahul 'dislikes' him

News18

Veteran Congress leader Mani Shankar Aiyar has spoken about his relationship with Rahul Gandhi and his willingness to mentor him, despite the latter’s reluctance.

In an interview, Aiyar, 83, candidly revealed that he has been ready to guide Gandhi for the past 20 years, but the Congress leader does not want his advice, saying that Rahul “dislikes" him.

“I have been ready to mentor him for 20 years. He does not want it. He dislikes me. And who am I to impose my opinion on him?," Aiyar stated.

The senior Congress leader made these remarks during a podcast interview with the YouTube channel ‘The Ewer (Chill-Pill)‘, which was published on March 2.

Additionally, when asked why he does not meet with Rahul personally to resolve any misunderstandings, Aiyar explained, “How will I meet him if he doesn’t?" He recounted a conversation with Rahul in 2004, during a discussion about his security cover. Aiyar recalled that his wife, Suneet Mani Aiyar, had advised him not to listen to Aiyar. However, Rahul had responded, “I would always listen to him because he is my father’s friend and my father always listened to him."

Now, Aiyar says neither Rahul nor his sister Priyanka Gandhi Vadra have made any effort to meet him. Aiyar, however, made it clear that he had no desire to impose on them, particularly given Sonia Gandhi’s poor health. “Should I go and ask for an MP post?" he asked, suggesting that he does not want to disturb their personal lives.

Aiyar’s remarks made during the podcast has sparked significant discussion on social media. The interview has gone viral, partly due to Aiyar’s controversial statements about former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi’s educational qualifications. He referred to Rajiv Gandhi as a “two-time failure" in academia, first at Cambridge University and Imperial College London.

A video clip of the controversial remark was shared by BJP IT cell head Amit Malviya on X. Several Congress leaders condemned the comments and defended the former PM, praising him as one of India’s top leaders.

“Rajiv Gandhi struggled academically, even failing at Cambridge, where passing is relatively easy. He then moved to Imperial College London but failed there as well… Many questioned how someone with his academic record could become the Prime Minister. Let the veil be stripped," Aiyar had said during the interview.

ALSO READ: ‘Rajiv Gandhi Failed At Cambridge & Imperial College, Became PM’: Mani Shankar Aiyar Stirs Fresh Controversy

News politics 'I've Been Ready For 20 Years But...': Mani Shankar Aiyar On Mentoring Rahul Gandhi