New Delhi:
Senior Congress chief Sam Pitroda – whose remark final month about an inheritance tax in america sparked an enormous struggle with the ruling Bharatiya Janata Celebration – has triggered one other row in his try and make a pitch for nationwide unity.
In an unique interview with The Statesman, Mr Pitroda described India as a “… numerous nation… the place folks on East appear like Chinese language, folks on West appear like Arab, folks on North appear like perhaps White and folks in South appear like Africa”.
The Congress has distanced itself from the comment.
“The analogies given by Sam Pitroda to India’s range are extraordinarily unsuitable and unacceptable. The Indian Nationwide Congress utterly disassociates itself from these analogies,” senior chief Jairam Ramesh mentioned on X.
The comment has been slammed by senior BJP leaders, together with Manipur Chief Minister N Biren Singh and his Assam counterpart, Himanta Biswa Sarma, who posted on X, ” Sam bhai, I’m from the northeast, and I appear like an Indian. We’re a various nation – we might look completely different, however we’re all one.”
“Hamare desh ke naked mein thoda to samajh lo! (Please perceive at the very least one thing about our nation)” the senior BJP chief hit again at Mr Pitroda.
Sam bhai, I’m from the North East and I appear like an Indian. We’re a various nation – we might look completely different however we’re all one.
Hamare desh ke naked mein thoda to samajh lo! https://t.co/eXairi0n1n
— Himanta Biswa Sarma (Modi Ka Parivar) (@himantabiswa) Might 8, 2024
Actor-politician Kangana Ranaut, the BJP’s Lok Sabha candidate from Mandi in Himachal Pradesh, additionally responded, accusing Mr Pitroda of constructing “racist” and “divisive” feedback.
“Sam Pitroda is Rahul Gandhi’s mentor. Take heed to his racist and divisive jibes for Indians. Their complete (the Congress’) ideology is about divide and rule. It is sickening to name fellow Indians Chinese language and African. Disgrace on Congress!” she mentioned.
BJP chief Shehzad Poonawalla known as Mr Pitroda’s remark “surprising, despicable and disgusting”.
“He’s the mentor of Rahul Gandhi. It’s the phrase, spirit, vocabulary and beliefs of Rahul Gandhi… First, they divided on the premise of caste, faith and language. Now, they’re dividing Indian vs. Indian. And to make a remark like Indians are like Chinese language, is not it a racist remark? Is not it insulting and objectionable ? It exhibits ‘Congress ki Mohabbat ki Dukan truly has ‘nafrat‘ and ‘racism ka saman‘…”
#WATCH | Delhi: On Chairman of Indian Abroad Congress, Sam Pitroda’s controversial “Folks in East appear like Chinese language, in South appear like Africans…” comment, BJP chief Shehzad Poonawalla says, “This can be a surprising, despicable and disgusting remark made by Sam Pitroda. He’s… pic.twitter.com/jQ9tMRAkyY
— ANI (@ANI) Might 8, 2024
Mr Pitroda was responding to a query about what the Congress has tried to make one of many elementary problems with the 2024 Lok Sabha election – that the BJP, ought to it win this ballot, will look to change the fundamental nature of the nation’s socio-economic cloth, together with by altering the Structure.
Mr Pitroda referred to a “actually divided nation at present primarily based on concepts of India”, and mentioned, “It isn’t a query of who is correct or unsuitable… however a query of what you consider in.”
“… there’s one other view that claims our founding fathers fought the British Raj not for a Hindu nation however for a secular nation. Pakistan determined to make a nation primarily based on faith… you’ll be able to see how that’s going. We’re a shining instance of democracy on the planet. We now have survived 70-75 years in a really joyful atmosphere, leaving apart just a few fights right here and there,” he mentioned.
“… we’re all brothers and sisters, we respect completely different languages, religions, customs, and meals. As a Gujarati, I like dosa. So, if I’m going to Tamil Nadu and converse the native language, it’s okay. I’m nonetheless at dwelling… that’s my India, rooted in democracy, freedom, liberty, and fraternity,” he declared.
This view, Mr Pitroda declared, “is being challenged by one that features the Ram Temple and Ram Navami and the PM going to temples on a regular basis and speaking not as a nationwide chief, however that of the BJP”.
This comes days after the BJP ripped into the Congress over Mr Pitroda’s feedback over an inheritance tax.
Mr Pitroda’s feedback then got here because the Congress fended off a vicious assault by the BJP, which was sparked by Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s remarks about Muslims, and claims of “wealth redistribution… to those that have essentially the most youngsters… to infiltrators”. Mr Pitroda then, chatting with information company ANI, had mentioned the Congress all the time helps folks on the backside of the financial pyramid, and cited the inheritance tax in america for instance of “…new insurance policies so focus of wealth will be prevented”.
READ | Congress In Firefighting Mode Amid Row Over Sam Pitroda’s Remarks
The BJP had hit again fiercely, with a number of of its leaders taking intention at Mr Pitroda over his feedback and allegations of the Congress’ “wealth redistribution” plans, which the celebration firmly denied.
NDTV FACT CHECK | Has Congress Actually Promised ‘Wealth Redistribution’?
The Congress, on that event, had distanced itself from Mr Pitroda’s feedback, with senior communications determine Jairam Ramesh saying, “this doesn’t imply Mr Pitroda’s views all the time mirror the place of the Indian Nationwide Congress”.
