NEW DELHI: Congress on Friday backed its veteran leader Sam Pitroda 's ' Pakistan felt like home ' remark after the Bharatiya Janata Party tried to corner the party, accusing it of sympathising with terrorist organisations.
Congress leader Pawan Khera defended Pitroda, claiming that RSS also talks about " Akhand Bharat ", but BJP leaders have problem when someone else says it.
"I have not heard what he had said. RSS always talks about 'Akhand Bharat', but when someone else says it, they have a problem," he said.
Congress leader Udit Raj also came to Pitroda's defence and said that Indian and Pakistani societies are somewhat alike. However, he asserted that Pitroda is an intellectual and he doesn't always necessarily put Congress' views.
"The Indian and Pakistani societies are somewhat alike. It is his personal choice that he went to Pakistan. He is an intellectual and puts forward his points on various issues from time to time," the Congress leader said.
"BJP itself doesn't do anything and just drags Congress into everything. Sam Pitroda doesn't always necessarily put forward Congress' view. When they talk about Vasudaiva Kutumbakam, do they exclude Pakistan? Modo Ji went to Pakistan uninvited. Dragging Congress into controversies unnecessarily because they are incapable of doing anything," he added.
This comes after the veteran Congress leader advised for the central government involving immediate neighbours. Advocating for a neighbourhood-first policy, Pitroda said that he had been to Pakistan and "felt at home," given the "common gene pool" shared by the people.
"They are all small, they all need help, they are all going through difficult times and there's no need to fight. Of course there's a problem of terrorism. But at the end of the day, in that neighbourhood, there's common gene pool," Pitroda told news agency IANS.
"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. They look like me, they talk like me, they like my songs, they eat my food. So, I must learn to live with them in peace and harmony. That's my first priority," he added.
The Bharatiya Janata Party reacted to Pitroda's comments calling him accusing Congress of choosing someone who is "Pakistan's favourite."BJP's '26/11' charge at Congress."
BJP national spokesperson Sam Pitroda Pradeep Bhandari accused the previous UPA government of not 'tough action against Pak even after 26/11.' Rahul Gandhi ’s blue-eyed boy & Congress Overseas chief Sam Pitroda says he ‘felt at home’ in Pakistan. No wonder UPA took no tough action against Pak even after 26/11. Pakistan’s favourite, Congress’s chosen!" he said.
Bhandari later questioned Pitroda's proximity with a "terror nation" especially after " Pahalgam terror attack was carried out by Pakistan."
"We all know that Pahalgam terror attack was carried out by Pakistan. Our armed forces gave terror nation Pakistan a befitting reply through Operation Sindoor. I want to ask you people that can any patriot ever say that terror nation Pakistan is like a home... But Rahul Gandhi's close aide, a person who defines strategies of Rahul Gandhi and Congress (Sam Pitroda) says that terror nation Pakistan is like home for him," he said, addressing a press conference.
Sam Pitroda, a longtime Gandhi family aide and chairman of the Overseas Indian Congress, has often found himself at the centre of controversies. Earlier this year, he triggered a storm with his comments on China, forcing the Congress to distance itself publicly.
In June 2024, during the Lok Sabha campaign, Pitroda was forced to step down after his statements on inheritance tax and a remark comparing the physical features of Indians from different regions with those of Africans, Arabs, and Chinese drew flak. He was reinstated only after an assurance that there would be no repeat of such controversies.
Congress leader Pawan Khera defended Pitroda, claiming that RSS also talks about " Akhand Bharat ", but BJP leaders have problem when someone else says it.
"I have not heard what he had said. RSS always talks about 'Akhand Bharat', but when someone else says it, they have a problem," he said.
Congress leader Udit Raj also came to Pitroda's defence and said that Indian and Pakistani societies are somewhat alike. However, he asserted that Pitroda is an intellectual and he doesn't always necessarily put Congress' views.
"The Indian and Pakistani societies are somewhat alike. It is his personal choice that he went to Pakistan. He is an intellectual and puts forward his points on various issues from time to time," the Congress leader said.
"BJP itself doesn't do anything and just drags Congress into everything. Sam Pitroda doesn't always necessarily put forward Congress' view. When they talk about Vasudaiva Kutumbakam, do they exclude Pakistan? Modo Ji went to Pakistan uninvited. Dragging Congress into controversies unnecessarily because they are incapable of doing anything," he added.
This comes after the veteran Congress leader advised for the central government involving immediate neighbours. Advocating for a neighbourhood-first policy, Pitroda said that he had been to Pakistan and "felt at home," given the "common gene pool" shared by the people.
"They are all small, they all need help, they are all going through difficult times and there's no need to fight. Of course there's a problem of terrorism. But at the end of the day, in that neighbourhood, there's common gene pool," Pitroda told news agency IANS.
"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. They look like me, they talk like me, they like my songs, they eat my food. So, I must learn to live with them in peace and harmony. That's my first priority," he added.
The Bharatiya Janata Party reacted to Pitroda's comments calling him accusing Congress of choosing someone who is "Pakistan's favourite."BJP's '26/11' charge at Congress."
BJP national spokesperson Sam Pitroda Pradeep Bhandari accused the previous UPA government of not 'tough action against Pak even after 26/11.' Rahul Gandhi ’s blue-eyed boy & Congress Overseas chief Sam Pitroda says he ‘felt at home’ in Pakistan. No wonder UPA took no tough action against Pak even after 26/11. Pakistan’s favourite, Congress’s chosen!" he said.
Bhandari later questioned Pitroda's proximity with a "terror nation" especially after " Pahalgam terror attack was carried out by Pakistan."
"We all know that Pahalgam terror attack was carried out by Pakistan. Our armed forces gave terror nation Pakistan a befitting reply through Operation Sindoor. I want to ask you people that can any patriot ever say that terror nation Pakistan is like a home... But Rahul Gandhi's close aide, a person who defines strategies of Rahul Gandhi and Congress (Sam Pitroda) says that terror nation Pakistan is like home for him," he said, addressing a press conference.
Sam Pitroda, a longtime Gandhi family aide and chairman of the Overseas Indian Congress, has often found himself at the centre of controversies. Earlier this year, he triggered a storm with his comments on China, forcing the Congress to distance itself publicly.
In June 2024, during the Lok Sabha campaign, Pitroda was forced to step down after his statements on inheritance tax and a remark comparing the physical features of Indians from different regions with those of Africans, Arabs, and Chinese drew flak. He was reinstated only after an assurance that there would be no repeat of such controversies.
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