Congress leader Sam Pitroda urged the Centre to prioritise dialogue with its neighbours. Mr Pitroda said that India’s foreign policy should begin by strengthening ties with countries in the region, including Pakistan.
“Our foreign policy, according to me, 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…” Mr Pitroda said.
His statement immediately drew a sharp response from the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), which accused the Congress leadership of undermining India’s national interest.
“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!” said BJP spokesperson Pradeep Bhandari.
Sam Pitroda, who rose to prominence in the 1980s as a technocrat close to then Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi, has long been a trusted adviser to the Gandhi family. His latest remark adds to a growing catalogue of controversial comments on India’s foreign policy matters, which the BJP has repeatedly used to question the Congress party’s stance on national security.
Earlier in February, when ties with China were still frayed, he provoked a storm after suggesting that India exaggerates the threat from China. Speaking in an interview to IANS, he argued that New Delhi should stop treating Beijing as an enemy and instead adopt a collaborative approach.
“I don’t understand the threat from China. I think this issue is often blown out of proportion because the US has a tendency to define an enemy. I believe the time has come for all nations to collaborate, not confront. Our approach has been confrontational from the very beginning, and this attitude creates enemies, which in turn garners support within the country. We need to change this mindset and stop assuming that China is the enemy from day one,” Mr Pitroda said.
His remarks came in response to a question on whether Prime Minister Narendra Modi and US President Donald Trump could rein in China. At the time, India had formally rejected Mr Trump’s offer to mediate the border dispute with China.