May 8th 2024.
New Delhi: Congress leader Sam Pitroda sparked controversy on Wednesday with his remarks about the physical appearance of different regions in India. He stated that the people in the east resemble Chinese people while those in the south resemble Africans. These comments were quickly condemned by the ruling BJP, who accused the opposition party of promoting divisive politics.
The Congress, however, distanced itself from Pitroda's statements, calling them unfortunate and unacceptable. They made it clear that the party does not support such divisive rhetoric. In a podcast, Pitroda expressed his belief that India is a diverse country where people of different backgrounds can coexist peacefully, regardless of their differences.
"We have been able to maintain unity in diversity for the last 75 years, despite some occasional conflicts," Pitroda said. "In India, people in the east may look like the Chinese, those in the west may resemble Arabs, those in the north may have a fair complexion, and those in the south may look like Africans. But these differences do not matter, as we are all brothers and sisters. We respect each other's languages, religions, customs, and food."
The Congress party's general secretary, Jairam Ramesh, also distanced himself from Pitroda's remarks, stating that they were unfortunate and unacceptable. He emphasized that the Congress party does not support any form of divisive rhetoric.
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) seized upon Pitroda's comments and accused the Congress party of trying to divide the country along racial, religious, and caste lines. BJP leaders Rajeev Chandrasekhar and Sudhanshu Trivedi claimed that Pitroda's statements reflected the Congress party's ideology, as demonstrated by senior leaders such as Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi.
Chandrasekhar pointed out that Pitroda is a mentor to Rahul Gandhi, who has often made critical remarks about India and its institutions during his visits abroad. Trivedi stated that the ongoing Lok Sabha elections have become a battle between those who have a foreign mindset and those who are proud of their Indian identity.
Union Minister Anurag Thakur also criticized Pitroda's comments, stating that the Congress party has a colonial mindset that categorizes people based on foreign ethnic lines. He accused the Congress party of trying to sow ethnic discord and promoting divisive strategies.
In response to the backlash, Pitroda clarified his statements, stating that he believes in an India where everyone has a place and is willing to make compromises. He also expressed concern about the current political climate, where issues like the Ram temple, Ram Navami, and the Prime Minister's visits to temples are being used to divide the country.
Pitroda also highlighted the difference in views between those who believe in a Hindu Rashtra and those who support a secular nation, which was the vision of India's founding fathers. He pointed out the consequences of creating a nation based on religion, as seen in the case of Pakistan.
This is not the first time Pitroda has sparked controversy with his statements. Earlier, his remarks about inheritance tax were also criticized by the BJP. However, Pitroda remains firm in his belief in a diverse and unified India, where differences are celebrated and respected.
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