New Delhi, Feb 3 (IANS) Senior Congress leader Mani Shankar Aiyar expressed deep gratitude and solidarity with the Muslim community during his address at the Millat Times Conclave 2026 held at the India Islamic Cultural Centre here.

The event marked the anniversary of Millat Times, a platform known for its focus on journalism and public-interest issues, featuring a special interview and open question-and-answer session with Aiyar.

Speaking to an engaged audience, Aiyar conveyed his happiness at being invited by Millat Times.

Speaking to IANS, he said the invitation carried special significance as it allowed him to directly address and connect with members of the Muslim community.

He thanked the organisers for providing this opportunity and said, “…Main pratigya karta hoon ki main unka saath doonga. Main hamesha hamare Musalmano ke saath rehna chahta hoon, kyunki jaisa maine kaha Musalman is desh ka atoot ang hai…” (I pledge that I will stand with them. I always want to remain with our Muslim community, because as I said, Muslims are an inseparable part of this nation.)

Aiyar emphasised the deep-rooted place of Muslims in India's national fabric. He described Muslims as an integral and indispensable part of the country, drawing inspiration from Maulana Abul Kalam Azad's famous metaphor.

As Azad had said, the veteran leader said, Muslims form a vital pillar of the nation's structure, and removing that pillar would cause the entire building—from the roof downward—to collapse.

Earlier, in an interview with IANS, Aiyar questioned why India continues to maintain hostility towards Pakistan while being open to diplomatic engagement with China, despite the latter's military proximity to Pakistan during recent tensions.

"When India and Pakistan were engaged in a military conflict during 'Operation Sindoor', the Chinese Army was backing the Pakistani Air Force. If dialogue is possible with Beijing, then why not with Islamabad?" he had said.

Referring to Prime Minister Narendra Modi's statement during his Russia visit, where he said that "this is not an era of war" and that dialogue and diplomacy were the only solutions, Aiyar asked why that principle is not applied to India's dealings with Pakistan.

"The Chinese Army was there with the Pakistani Air Force during the conflict. You (the government) are ready to talk to China, so why not talk to Pakistan? PM Modi says that this is not an era of war, so why are we fighting with Pakistan? He told Russia that dialogue and diplomacy are the only way, but we don't engage with dialogue or diplomacy with Pakistan," Aiyer had said.

--IANS

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