PM Modi addressing a rally in Gujarat. (ANI/Twitter)

NEW DELHI: Amid the " neech aadmi " row, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday raked up an old statement made by suspended Congress leader Mani Shankar Aiyar in Pakistan .

Addressing a rally in Gujarat, PM Modi said, "Mani Shankar Aiyar told people when he visited Pakistan - remove Modi from the way and then see what will happen to India-Pakistan peace. What did he mean by removing me from the way. And what is my crime - that we have the blessings of the people".

Modi was referring to a controversy that had erupted in 2015 when Aiyar during a talk show in Pakistan had reportedly made the statement.

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When the anchor of a Pakistani channel asked what is to be done to end the stalemate in the relations between the two nations, Aiyar responded, “The first and the foremost thing is to remove Modi. Only then can the talks move forward. We have to wait for four more years. They (panelists) are all optimist and that we can move forward when Modi sahab is there, but I don’t think so.”

Though Aiyar later denied making any such remark, a TV clip shared on social media showed otherwise.

This comes a day after Aiyar was suspended from the Congress for calling PM Modi a "neech aadmi".

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Meanwhile, Congress leader Mani Shankar Aiyar on Friday said he would accept any punishment if the party suffers damage in the Gujarat polls because of his "neech aadmi" comments.

Aiyar, who was suspended on Thursday, said the Congress party had given him a lot and there was no future for India without the party.

"If the Congress suffers any damage in the Gujarat polls because of my comments, then whatever punishment the party deems fit I will accept it," he said on the sidelines of an India-Pakistan seminar here.

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"The Congress has given me a lot. There is no future for India if there is no Congress," he said.

The disciplinary action against the senior leader came after he called the prime minister a "neech kism ka aadmi" (vile sort of man).

Gujarat goes to polls tomorrow for the first phase of the elections. Polling for the second phase is on December 14.

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In Video: 'Neech’ row: PM Modi rakes up Aiyar's 'remove Modi' remark in Pak