Congress distances itself from Sam Pitroda's 'China not enemy' remark
What's the story
The Congress Party has distanced itself from senior leader Sam Pitroda's comments that "China is not our enemy" during an interview. Pitroda had claimed that the views of China as a threat are often exaggerated because of the United States's habit of defining enemies. "We need to change this mindset and stop assuming that China is the enemy from day one. It's unfair, not just to China, but to everyone," Pitroda said.
Party position
Congress clarifies stance on China following Pitroda's remarks
Congress communications in-charge Jairam Ramesh clarified on X that Pitroda's views "are certainly not the views of the Indian National Congress." Ramesh stressed that "China remains our biggest foreign policy, external security, and economic challenge." The clarification comes as the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) strongly condemned the remarks. BJP spokesperson Sudhanshu Trivedi accused him of undermining India's sovereignty and siding with what the party claim is the Congress's pro-China stance.
Twitter Post
Watch his interview here
Watch: On whether US President Donald Trump and PM Modi will be able to control the threat from China, Indian Overseas Congress Chief Sam Pitroda says, "I don't understand the threat from China. I think this issue is often blown out of proportion because the U.S. has a tendency… pic.twitter.com/UaBvPVqdsr
— IANS (@ians_india) February 17, 2025
Accusations
BJP demands clarification, alleges pro-China bias
Trivedi sought a clarification from the Congress on Pitroda's statements, calling them a "deep blow to India's identity, diplomacy, and sovereignty." BJP leader Ajay Alok went further and alleged that Pitroda's comments reflect the decades-old ties between the Congress and China. He alleged that Rahul Gandhi had signed a secret treaty with China's People's Liberation Army and accused past Congress leaders of compromising India's interests in favor of China.
Past controversies
Pitroda's comments on diversity, wealth redistribution sparked controversies
Notably, this isn't the first time Pitroda's comments have left Congress on the backfoot. Earlier, his statements on diversity and wealth redistribution had also ignited controversies. He was reinstated in June, after explaining the context of his remarks and claiming that the BJP had maliciously misinterpreted it. Back then, Ramesh had said that Pitroda had "given an assurance" that he would, in future, leave no room for controversy.