An example was his position on the Babri Masjid, outlined in fascinating detail in Chapter 3, ‘Life as a National MP’. As he writes: “I went with a Parliamentary delegation to the site and ….. declined the prasad distributed by the pujari of the makeshift temple of Ram Lalla virajman….I adamantly held that prasad cannot be distributed in a Muslim place of worship”.

Later, Mani decided to do a Ram Rahim Yatra but was summoned back by the then PM PV Narasimha Rao from Behrampore. As narrated by Mani: “The PM began by telling me that while he had no objection to my yatra, he didn’t agree with my definition of ‘secularism’. Why, I asked, what was wrong with my definition of ‘secularism’? The PM said: “You don’t seem to understand, Mani, that this is a Hindu country”! Mani responds honestly. “But Sir, that is exactly what the BJP says”.

Another example is Mani’s attachment to a socialist ideology for his party. As he recounts in the chapter ‘Back to Parliament’, as a member of the Committee under A.K. Antony to examine the reasons for setbacks in the 1999 elections, he added a short section arguing that ‘garibi hatao’ should be revived. Congress must remain a left-of-centre party’. Reforms must be presented in this perspective.

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