Editorial: Irrepressible Sam Pitroda

Pitroda’s goof-ups, happening with unfailing regularity, will cause considerable damage to the Congress

Sam Pitroda, credited with laying the foundation for India’s telecommunication revolution, is no stranger to controversies. His ‘foot in the mouth’ proclivity has often landed the Congress in trouble. As chairman of the Indian Overseas Congress, his public comments on various issues are often found at variance with the party’s official stand. His latest remark that India should stop viewing China as an enemy has ignited a firestorm in political circles, forcing the Congress to go on the back foot and swiftly dissociate itself from the controversial observation. In a media interview, Pitroda sought to give a curious spin to Asian geopolitics when he said that the threat from China was always exaggerated and that such a perception was due to the tendency of the United States to “define an enemy”. For an already demoralised Congress leadership, in the wake of one electoral defeat after another, his remarks will no doubt cause acute embarrassment. It was preposterous on the part of the Congress leader to suggest that India’s “attitude has been of confrontation from day one” and that the country should “change that pattern.” Such irresponsible formulations betray ignorance of history and a total lack of understanding about the recent bilateral tensions. One wonders whether Pitroda is not aware of the anguish that every Indian citizen feels over the Chinese aggression in the Galwan Valley and the supreme sacrifices of Indian soldiers. Such observations amount to insulting the martyrdom of our soldiers. Further, he also wanted Indians to ‘recognise and respect the fact that China is growing’.

Though the Congress distanced itself from the controversy saying Pitroda’s remarks did not reflect the official position, such goof-ups by a senior functionary, happening with unfailing regularity, would cause considerable damage to the party. Pitroda, a close aide of the Nehru-Gandhi family, has often made statements that sent the Congress scurrying for cover. In the run-up to the 2024 general elections, he landed the Congress in a spot after his remarks on India’s diversity and the need for a debate on inheritance tax went viral. He had then mooted the idea of taxing the inherited wealth, triggering a massive political furore. It only added fuel to the fire on the controversial Congress’ promise of redistribution of wealth in the country. On another occasion, while speaking about the diversity of India, he triggered another controversy by referring to how people in the South “look like Africans and those in the East look like Chinese and those in the West look like Arab”. This prompted the BJP to dub him as racist. In June 2023, ahead of the anticipated grand opening of the Ram temple at Ayodhya, Pitroda sparked controversy by asserting that temples would not address India’s pressing issues such as unemployment, inflation, education and health. His remarks provided the saffron party with ammunition to attack the Congress.

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