Jaishankar serving those whom his father called Asura: Trinamool MP

Trinamool Congress Rajya Sabha MP and former bureaucrat Jawhar Sircar called Prime Minister Narendra Modi 'asura' while hitting out at External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, who, on Tuesday, had said that his father, Dr K Subrahmanyam, was removed as Secretary of Defence Production by then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi after she returned to power in 1980.

Taking to Twitter, Jawhar Sircar wrote, 'S Jaishankar's father, K Subramanyam said 'Dharma was killed in Gujarat (2002 Riots). Those who failed to protect innocent citizens are guilty of adharma. Rama...would have used his bow against the 'Asura' rulers of Gujarat.' Shame on son --serving Asura!'

This came after the external affairs minister, in an interview with ANI, revealed that his father Dr K Subrahmanyam was removed as secretary, defence production by former PM Indira Gandhi in 1980 and that he was superseded during the Rajiv Gandhi period with someone junior to him becoming the cabinet secretary.

Jaishankar, in the interview with ANI, had explained the reason for joining the Bharatiya Janata Party as the right party at the right time for India's progress.

Insinuating at the external affairs minister, the Trinamool Congress leader said Jaishankar was suffering from 'amnesia' adding that he is just 'cuddling up to the BJP'.

"Strange -- that Jaishankar discovered his angst against the Gandhis -- after serving them most loyally and taking the best of postings under them? Is it Amnesia or is he just cuddling up to BJP for his unprecedented promotion as Foreign Minister?" Sircar wrote on the microblogging site.

Jaishankar was Foreign Secretary from January 2015 to January 2018 and earlier served in key ambassadorial positions including in China and the United States.

His father K Subrahmanyam, who passed away in 2011, is regarded as one of India's most prominent national security strategists.

"In 1980, he was Secretary, Defence Production. In 1980 when Indira Gandhi was re-elected, he was the first secretary that she removed. And he was the most knowledgeable person everybody would say on defence," Jaishankar said in the podcast interview with ANI's Editor Smita Prakash.