Congress leader Sam Pitroda has once again landed in hot water, this time for claiming he “felt at home” in Pakistan during an interview with IANS, urging India to prioritize dialogue with neighboring countries to strengthen regional ties. The remark, made just months after India’s Operation Sindoor in retaliation for the Pahalgam terror attack that killed 26 people, has drawn sharp criticism for its timing and perceived insensitivity, reigniting debates about Pitroda’s history of provocative statements.
Pitroda, a prominent figure in the Congress party, suggested that India’s foreign policy should focus on improving relations with neighbors like Pakistan, Bangladesh, and Nepal, where he claimed to feel at ease. “I don’t feel like I’m in a foreign country,” he said, drawing ire from critics who argue the comment undermines India’s security concerns, particularly in light of recent cross-border tensions. This is not the first time Pitroda’s words have stirred controversy, as his outspoken views have repeatedly put the Congress party on the defensive.
In February 2025, Pitroda downplayed the perceived threat from China, stating in an IANS interview that the issue is “blown out of proportion” due to U.S.-driven narratives. He advocated for collaboration over confrontation, arguing that labeling China as an enemy from the outset is unfair and counterproductive. The remark, made amid strained India-China relations, was widely criticized as dismissive of national security concerns.
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Pitroda’s comments on India’s diversity last year also sparked backlash. Describing India’s diverse population with analogies—comparing people in the East to Chinese, the West to Arabs, the North to Whites, and the South to Africans—he aimed to celebrate unity but was met with condemnation. The Congress party, through senior leader Jairam Ramesh, swiftly disassociated itself, calling the analogies “extremely wrong and unacceptable.”
During the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, Pitroda stirred a storm by referencing U.S. inheritance tax laws to counter claims about Congress’s wealth redistribution plans. He suggested that policies like a 55% government share of inherited wealth could benefit the public, intensifying debates over economic policy. Similarly, his 2023 remarks questioning the centrality of the Ram Mandir in political discourse—contrasting it with issues like unemployment and inflation—drew fierce criticism from the BJP, who accused him of trivializing cultural sentiments.
Pitroda’s defense of the Congress’ NYAY scheme in 2019, urging the middle class to be less “selfish,” also ruffled feathers. Perhaps his most infamous remark came that same year when he downplayed the 1984 anti-Sikh riots, saying, “’84 mein hua to hua” (What happened in ’84 happened), prompting widespread outrage for its apparent callousness.
His comments on the 2019 Pulwama attack further fueled controversy, as he questioned blaming an entire nation for the actions of a few terrorists, advocating restraint over retaliation. With his latest remarks on Pakistan, Pitroda has once again thrust himself into the spotlight, prompting calls for the Congress party to address his recurring controversies. As political opponents seize the moment, the veteran leader’s knack for stirring debate shows no signs of fading.
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