Best Never Said

"Who is this Ram? In which engineering college did he study? When did he build his so-called bridge? Is there any evidence for this?"
—2007, M. Karunanidhi, sparking anger and not a little unease even outside the Hindutva constituency, besides clashes between the BJP and the DMK.

"Indian negotiators had done an absolutely unprecedented job...so why do you have all this running around like headless chicken, looking for a comment here and there...these little storms in a tea-cup?"
—2007, India's ambassador to the US Ronen Sen, on critics of the Indo-US nuclear deal.

"Once my family decides on something, it doesn't go back. Whether it is about India's freedom or dividing Pakistan."
—2007, Rahul Gandhi, during the run-up to the UP assembly polls.A little tact would stand him in good stead in his new job.

"Amar Singhji, please don't pounce on her. I see a devilish glint in your eyes."
—2007, Shahrukh Khan makes a joke at the SP leader's expense at an awards function. The war of words later raged on for months between the 'camps' .

"I heard somebody say, 'Where's Mandela?' Well, Mandela is dead because Saddam Hussein killed all the Mandelas."
—2007, US President George Bush speaking about how he has heard calls for a unifier of Iraq. The icon of the anti-apartheid movement and former SA president is alive and well.

"It is the duty of every citizen, under Article 51-A of the Constitution of India, irrespective of caste, creed or religion, to follow dharma as propounded by the Gita."
—2007, Allahabad HC Judge S.N. Srivastava's take on the 'dharma shastra' took flak from all sides of the religious divide.

"Italy is our favourite and we wanted them to win. I have an emotional attachment with that country because Sonia Gandhi hails from Italy."
—2006, MP Congress president Subhash Yadav's comment was grist to the BJP's mill for months.

"The Qaid-e-Azam was an ardent secularist. He was one of those rare men who actually create history."
—2005, BJP leader L.K. Advani on Pakistan's founding father M.A. Jinnah. It embarrassed and divided the BJP, riled the RSS, and led to demands for his resignation.

"Major combat operations in Iraq have ended."
—2003, Bush speaking on the aircraft carrier Abraham Lincoln. The continuing bloodletting, chaos and confusion in Iraq give point to the cruel irony underpinning his declaration.

"Crime against women would drop by 50 per cent if they are careful in the way they dress, if they know their limits, and if they do not exercise unsafe behaviour."
—2002, then Delhi police commissioner R.S. Gupta, speaking on rising crimes against women. His comment created an uproar, with women's groups such as the AIDWA leading the protests.

"We have the numbers."
—1999, Congress president Sonia Gandhi, following the collapse of A.B. Vajpayee's 13-month coalition government. Her allies were as fickle as the BJP's, and she couldn't muster the 272 votes necessary to form a government. The BJP came back strongly in the elections in September-October.

"China is our potential threat No. 1."
—1998, then defence minister George Fernandes. The comment soured relations with China, to the extent that even Fernandes had to try and make amends.