"Been To Pakistan, Felt At Home": Rahul Gandhi's Aide Sam Pitroda Bats For Talks

The BJP responded strongly to the controversial remark.

New Delhi:

Congress leader Sam Pitroda called on the Centre to make dialogue with neighboring countries a priority. Mr. Pitroda emphasized that India's foreign policy should begin by enhancing relationships with regional countries, including Pakistan.

"In my view, our foreign policy must prioritize our neighborhood first. Can we significantly enhance relationships with our neighbors?... Having visited Pakistan, I must say I felt at home there. I've also been to Bangladesh and Nepal, and I feel at home in those places. I don't get the sensation of being in a foreign country..." stated Mr. Pitroda.

His comments immediately triggered a fierce response from the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), which alleged that the Congress leadership was compromising India's national interest.

"Rahul Gandhi's trusted advisor & Congress Overseas chief Sam Pitroda claims he 'felt at home' in Pakistan. No surprise the UPA failed to take strong action against Pakistan even after 26/11. Pakistan's favorite, Congress's chosen!" declared BJP spokesperson Pradeep Bhandari.

Sam Pitroda, who gained recognition in the 1980s as a technocrat with close ties to then Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi, has long served as a trusted advisor to the Gandhi family. His recent statement adds to an expanding list of controversial remarks on India's foreign policy issues, which the BJP has consistently used to challenge the Congress party's position on national security.

Previously in February, while relations with China remained tense, he sparked controversy by suggesting that India exaggerates the Chinese threat. In an interview with IANS, he contended that New Delhi should stop viewing Beijing as an enemy and instead pursue a collaborative approach.

"I don't comprehend the threat from China. I believe this issue is frequently exaggerated because the US tends to define enemies. I think the time has arrived for nations to collaborate rather than confront. Our approach has been confrontational from the beginning, and this mindset creates enemies, which subsequently generates support domestically. We need to shift this perspective and cease assuming China is the enemy from day one," Mr. Pitroda remarked.

His comments were in response to a question about whether Prime Minister Narendra Modi and US President Donald Trump could control China. At that time, India had officially declined Mr. Trump's offer to mediate the border dispute with China.