'They have atom bomb': Row over Congress leader Mani Shankar Aiyar's remarks on Pakistan

NEW DELHI: Congress leader Mani Shankar Aiyar on Friday sparked row after he said that Pakistan is a respected nation and suggested that India should engage in dialogue with them.
In an interview with Chill Pill Mani Shankar Aiyar on April 15, the Congress leader warned that if not respected, Islamabad may consider using its atomic bomb against India.
"They are also a sovereign country (Pakistan). They are a respected nation. You can talk tough with them (Pakistan). But start the dialogue. You are walking with a gun which yielded you nothing. Tensions are escalating. And if a mad person comes there, what will happen to the nation? They have an atom bomb. We also possess the atomic bomb. But if a mad person detonates our bomb at Lahore station, so within eight seconds, eight moments, its radioactivity will reach Amritsar," Aiyar said in the video going viral on social media.
Aiyar further warned about the potential consequences of a "mad person" detonating an atomic bomb, highlighting the fact that both India and Pakistan possess nuclear weapons.
"So you should prevent the use of atomic bombs. But, if you start a dialogue with them (Pakistan) and encourage them (by considering them as), then they should start thinking about their atomic bomb. But if you snub them, then a mad person will come and detonate the bomb. Then what will happen?" he added.
Aiyar also took a veiled jibe at Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led Centre, claiming that there has been no effort to reach out to Pakistan in the past decade. He emphasized the importance of resolving bilateral issues with Pakistan in order for India to become a global leader.
The BJP slammed Mani Shankar Aiyar's comments and stressed that "this is the India of PM Modi."
"At this time Pakistan is collecting foodgrains for itself. They are facing a food crisis...Mani Shankar Aiyar should get himself treated somewhere. This is not the India of Congress. Now, India is very powerful. This is the India of PM Modi," BJP MP and party's candidate from Gorakhpur Lok Sabha seat Ravi Kishan said.
Meanwhile, the Congress has distanced itself from Aiyar's remarks on Pakistan and said that the party does not agree with his comments.
"Congress dissociates itself completely from and disagrees totally with some remarks made by Mr. Mani Shankar Aiyar few months back which have been revived today by the BJP in its attempt to deflect attention from Prime Minister Modi’s daily goof ups. Mr Aiyer does not speak for the party in any capacity whatsoever," Congress leader Pawan Khera said.
"The Indian National Congress and indeed the entire nation recalls with pride that in Dec 1971 Pakistan was broken and an independent Bangladesh emerged thanks to Indira Gandhi's decisive and determined leadership and the valour of our armed forces," he added.