BJP slams Pitroda over 'Pak feels like home' remark; Cong, SP respond

New Delhi, Sep 20 (IANS) A political storm erupted after Indian Overseas Congress chief Satyanarayan Pitroda, (popularly known as Sam Pitroda) remarked that “Pakistan feels like home” to him and called for better neighbourhood diplomacy, prompting a scathing attack from the BJP, which questioned the party's intent, while Congress leaders defended the comments as "personal' and "misinterpreted".

BJP national spokesperson Shahnawaz Hussain said on Saturday, “Sam Pitroda, is saying that India should maintain good relations with neighbouring countries like Bangladesh and Pakistan. And when he visits Bangladesh or Pakistan, he feels at home. What is wrong with the Congress? What kind of language are they using?”

The BJP’s remarks came amid a wider attack on the Congress for what it called repeated “softness” towards Pakistan. Party leaders have accused the Congress of undermining national sentiment and offering sympathy to a hostile neighbour.

Pitroda, speaking in an interview with IANS, had said, “I’ve been to Pakistan, and I must tell you; I felt at home... I don’t feel like I’m in a foreign country. They look like me, they talk like me. They like my songs, and they eat my food.” He further stressed the need to “learn to live with them in peace and harmony.”

Congress spokesperson Surendra Rajput came to Pitroda’s defence. “The same BJP people who create a fuss have no problem playing cricket matches with Pakistan, because money comes from there and there is pressure from the US. What wrong has Pitroda said in this?” he asked.

Responding to the BJP’s outrage, Congress MP Manoj Kumar downplayed the comments, saying, “Pitroda has stated that Pakistan is our second home. I don’t have much idea about this, and it is his personal statement... But if you ask me, Pakistan was once part of our country before separation, so he may be referring to his personal history.”

Meanwhile, the Samajwadi Party (SP) distanced itself from the remarks. SP spokesperson Mohammad Azam said, “This is an internal statement of the Congress. SP’s clear view is that Pakistan is an enemy.”

Pitroda’s remarks were made in the broader context of advocating for a shift in India’s foreign policy towards prioritising stronger ties with its immediate neighbours, Nepal, Bangladesh, and even Pakistan, despite historical and geopolitical tensions.

--IANS

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