New Delhi, May 10 : The Congress has distanced itself from party leader Mani Shankar Aiyar's remarks that 'India should respect Pakistan as it has an atom bomb'.

In an official statement on Friday, the party said, "The Indian National Congress dissociates itself completely from and disagrees totally with some remarks made by Mani Shankar Aiyar a 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. Aiyer does not speak for the party in any capacity whatsoever."

Congress spokesperson Pawan Khera shared the statement and said, "The Congress and indeed the entire nation recalls with pride that in December 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."

The statement read that almost exactly 50 years ago on May 18, 1974, under the leadership of Indira Gandhi, India's nuclear capability was announced to the world.

"The Indian National Congress has always believed that our decision-making should be guided by supreme national interest. The Congress spokesperson shared a video and said if old videos are to be used, here is a not-so-old video where the External Affairs Minister is publicly advising India to be afraid of China," the statement mentioned.

In an interview that has gone viral, Aiyar says, "India should give respect to Pakistan as it has an atom bomb! If we don't give them respect, they'll think of using an atom bomb against India."

/IANS