New Delhi: Congress' Sam Pitroda has once again found himself at the center of controversy following his remark that "Pakistan felt like home." On Friday, the Indian engineer defended his statement, saying he did not intend to belittle the sufferings of people but was instead trying to highlight the shared history of the two nations.
Pitroda stated that if his remarks had caused confusion or pain to anyone, he would like to clarify that he never intended to undermine anyone's suffering or dismiss legitimate concerns. Instead, he aimed to "foster honest conversation, empathy, and a more grounded and responsible approach to how India sees itself, and is seen, by others."
How the remark sparked debate
Addressing a press conference, Pitroda emphasised the need to first focus on the foreign policy concerning neighboring nations. He noted that the situation in countries like Nepal and Bangladesh has been disturbing lately, and that India’s relations with Bangladesh, in particular, are deteriorating day by day.
In an interview with IANS, Pitroda said, "Our foreign policy, in my view, must first focus on our neighborhood. Can we really improve relationships with our neighbors in a substantial way? I’ve been to Pakistan, and I must tell you, I felt at home. I’ve been to Bangladesh, I’ve been to Nepal, and I feel at home. I don’t feel like I’m in a foreign country."
The tone in which he mentioned Pakistan sparked widespread debate. The BJP quickly seized the opportunity, putting Pitroda under fire. His remark served as a platform for the BJP to criticize the Congress, with the ruling party accusing it of undermining national interests.
BJP spokesperson Pradeep Bhandari lashed out at Pitroda, saying, "Rahul Gandhi's blue-eyed boy and Congress Overseas chief Sam Pitroda says he 'felt at home' in Pakistan. No wonder the UPA took no tough action against Pakistan even after 26/11. Pakistan’s favorite, Congress’s chosen!"
The controversial Congressperson
This is not the first time Pitroda's statements have sparked controversy. In the past, his remarks have backfired to the extent that he had to resign from his position as a government advisor for seven consecutive weeks. One of those remarks was about diversity, which the BJP claimed had racist undertones. Another was about inheritance tax, cited as an example of “new policies” that could “help prevent the concentration of wealth.” His comments were interpreted as advocacy for introducing an inheritance tax in India.
Ahead of the Lok Sabha elections, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had remarked that if elected, the Congress would redistribute people's personal wealth among "infiltrators" and wouldn’t even spare the *mangalsutras* of women.
After the controversy had settled and he was reinstated to his post in the Congress’s overseas wing, Pitroda told NDTV that his comments are often twisted. “People are not interested in the substance of a conversation; they are interested in the form of the conversation,” he said.
