From urging stronger ties with Pakistan to his “hua toh hua” remark on the 1984 riots and claims that China’s threat is exaggerated, Congress overseas chief Sam Pitroda has repeatedly courted controversy.
“Our foreign policy must first focus on our neighbourhood. Can we really substantially improve relationships with our neighbours? 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,” Pitroda said on Friday.
This remark, however, is the most recent in a long list of statements that have put the Congress party in a tight spot.
Claim that an online event at “IIT Ranchi” was hacked with obscene content
In February this year, Pitroda alleged during a webcast that objectionable content was played during his virtual reaction with IIT Ranchi students.
The education ministry refuted the claims and said, “It is hereby clarified that there is no IIT in Ranchi. Therefore, the statement made in that video is not only baseless but also reeks of ignorance.”
The threat from China is “blown out of proportion”
That same month, he played down the security challenge posed by China, calling it “blown out of proportion.”
In an interview with IANS, Pitroda said that there was a need to change India's mindset and stop assuming that China is the enemy.
Pitroda argued that India’s approach towards Beijing had been confrontational from the outset and said it was time to “recognise and respect” China. He urged a mindset shift, warning against assuming China to be the enemy.
"I don't know what is the threat from China. I think this issue is often blown out of proportion because the US has the habit of defining an enemy," he said.
India should be “tolerant” toward illegal Bangladeshi migrants
In January this year, Pitroda suggested that India should be tolerant towards illegal Bangladeshi migrants.
In the undated video, the Congress leader, seemingly speaking in global terms initially, was heard faulting governments for targeting immigrants instead of worrying about the planet, or global warming, or the people.”
Indian people in the east “look like Chinese” and in the south “look like Africans”
Pitroda has also faced strong backlash for remarks on India’s diversity.
In an interview with The Statesman in May 2024, Pitroda called India a "... diverse country... where people on East look like Chinese, people on West look like Arab, people on North look like maybe White and people in South look like Africa".
The Congress had distanced itself from the remark.
"The analogies given by Sam Pitroda to India's diversity are extremely wrong and unacceptable. The Indian National Congress completely disassociates itself from these analogies," senior leader Jairam Ramesh said on X.
Pitroda's remark drew a furious response from Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who demanded a response from Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, saying that the country "won't tolerate disrespect on the basis of the colour of skin".
Inheritance/estate tax
In April 2024, he had said inheritance tax, as it existed in the United States (US), is an "interesting idea".
Explaining the concept of inheritance tax in certain American states, Pitroda said, "If one has $100 million worth of wealth and when he dies he can only transfer probably 45 per cent to his children, 55 per cent is grabbed by the government. That's an interesting law. It says you, in your generation, made wealth, and you are leaving now, you must leave your wealth for the public, not all of it, half of it, which to me sounds fair."
"In India, we do not have such provisions. If an individual is worth 10 billion and passes away, their children inherit the entire sum, leaving nothing for the public... These are the discussions and debates that people will need to engage in," he added.
Pitroda faced criticism from the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), and the Congress distanced itself from his statements.
Temples won’t create jobs – comment on Ram Mandir
In June 2023, Pitroda sparked a row when he said that temples were not going to solve India’s problems of unemployment, inflation, education, and health.
"No one talks about these things. But everyone talks about Ram, Hanuman, and Mandir. I have said that temples are not going to create jobs,” Pitroda said at an event in the US.
Rahul Gandhi was also present on the occasion.
The remarks were criticised by the BJP, with its leaders calling Pitroda and Rahul Gandhi ‘Hinduphobic’. The Congress distanced itself from the statement, saying his comments did not reflect the party's stand.
“Hua-toh-hua” comment on the 1984 anti-Sikh riots
In May 2019, Pitroda had used the words "hua toh hua (what happened, happened)" while trying to dismiss questions on the anti-Sikh riots.
"What Sam Pitroda said about 1984 is absolutely wrong and he should apologise to the nation for it. I told him this over the phone, I told him what he said was wrong, he should be ashamed and apologise publicly," Rahul Gandhi had said.
Modi said it showed the Congress' "character and mentality".
‘Selfish middle-class’ on NYAY scheme
Pitroda left the Congress party in a soup in April 2019 when he said that the middle class should not be selfish and should, instead, be prepared to shell out more taxes to fund the party’s proposed NYAY scheme that promised a guaranteed minimum income for every poor household.
“The middle class should not be selfish and have a big heart,” he said during a TV interview.
Pitroda’s remarks set off a row with senior party leaders responding to clear the air.
Former finance minister P. Chidambaram had said there would be no increase in the tax burden of the middle class, and Rahul Gandhi had also clarified that funds for the NYAY scheme would not come from people’s taxes.
Remarks questioning the Balakot airstrike
In March 2019, Sam Pitroda said that every citizen of a country cannot be blamed for the terrorist attack carried out by a few. Commenting on the Balakot air strike, he said: "Eight people (26/11 terrorists) come and do something, you don't jump on the entire nation(Pakistan). Naive to assume that just because some people came here and attacked, every citizen of that nation is to be blamed. I don't believe in that way.”
“If you say 300 people were killed,we all need to know that ,all Indians need to know that. Then comes the global media which says nobody was killed,I look bad as an Indian citizen,” he added.
BJP leader Anurag Thakur reacted and said, “Who needs enemies when we have an opposition dancing to Pakistan's propaganda? SHAMEFUL.”