From the serene backdrop of Thiruvananthapuram, Congress stalwart Manishankar Aiyar on February 16 unleashed a torrent of criticism against Brahmanism, Thakurism, and Hindutva, framing them as relics obstructing India’s progress. His IANS conversation peeled back layers of personal history and political conviction, fueling intense partisan reactions.
‘Birth thrust Brahminhood on me—no consent needed. Janeu? Forgotten. Sandhyavandanam? Never since maturity. Ashram stays critiqued rituals, spared philosophy,’ Aiyar recounted vividly.
Hindutva drew his fiercest ire: ‘It’s Hinduism’s aberration, abusing a profound religion.’ He parried caste slurs: ‘Brahmanist tag on me equals BJP on Pinarayi—laughable.’
A rare bipartisan moment emerged with Yogi Adityanath’s pollution alert. ‘Delhi-dweller here, lungs intact—miracle. His one correct stance,’ Aiyar conceded. Sarcastically, ‘UP survival: Invoke Yogi endlessly,’ clarified as climatic, not combative.
Thakurism? ‘Unclear term, but if anti-feudal, anti-landlord—Bihar vibes—I’m in. Chant with me: Brahmanism murdabad, Thakurism murdabad!’
As caste debates simmer and Hindutva surges, Aiyar’s broadside tests Congress’s unity and opposition strategy. It amplifies calls for casteless equity, courting progressive applause yet conservative fury. In a divided nation, his voice amplifies the pushback against orthodoxy, promising prolonged political aftershocks.