Sam Pitroda, Congress leader and chairman of its overseas wing, has once again stoked controversy with his remarks expressing concern over the significance that the Narendra Modi-led BJP government at the Centre is giving to the Ram Temple inauguration. The Ram Temple in Ayodhya is set to be inaugurated on January 22 with a consecration ceremony that will be attended by several dignitaries including the Prime Minister.
In an interview with ANI, Pitroda said that he is bothered by the fact that the entire country is hung up on the Ram Temple and that everything good in the country happens because of the Prime Minister. “There are signals I am getting that we are in the wrong direction. And when the entire nation is hung up on Ram Temple and Ram Janmabhoomi, diya jalao, it bothers me…To me, religion is something very personal and national issues are education, employment, growth, economy, inflation, health, environment, pollution. But no one speaks about it,” he said.
The remarks drew sharp condemnation from the Bharatiya Janata Party which accused the Congress of practising appeasement politics. BJP MP and Union minister Rajeev Chandrasekhar said that Pitroda’s remarks reflected the mindset of the Congress party and its leader Rahul Gandhi. “Sam Pitroda is the prime example of how far removed Rahul’s Congress is from the psyche of India… This is Sam Pitroda who is the mentor of Rahul Gandhi. A lot of it represents the thinking of Rahul Gandhi that Hindutva doesn’t matter. Terrorism doesn’t matter because of appeasement. Inflation and corruption don’t matter because of crony capitalism. Hindu faith doesn’t matter because of their appeasement politics,” he said.
Pitroda, a close confidante of the Gandhi family and the man COngress credits for the telecommunication revolution in India is, however, no stranger to controversy. His remarks in the past, often dubbed insensitive and detached from Indian realities, have left the Congress in a tough spot on several crucial occasions.
‘Hua to Hua’: Sam Pitroda on 1984 anti-Sikh riots
On May 9, 2019, Sam Pitroda was questioned on allegations by the BJP that the “instructions for riots” during the anti-Sikh riots in 1984 came from Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi’s office. Terming the allegation a lie, Pitroda said, “Ab kya hai ’84 ka? Aapne kya kiya 5 saal mein, uski baat kariye. ’84 mein hua to hua. Aapne kya kiya? You were voted to create jobs. You were voted to create 200 smart cities. Aapne wo bhi nahi kiya. Aapne kuch nahi kiya isliye aap yahan wahan gup lagate hain. (What about 1984 (riots) now? Talk about what you did in the last 5 years. What happened in 1984 has happened. So what? You were voted to create jobs. You were voted to create 200 smart cities. You did not even do that. You did nothing so you keep talking about here and there.”
The “hua to hua” remark set off a storm in the midst of the 2019 Lok Sabha election with Prime Minister Narendra Modi directly linking the insensitivity of the comment to Rahul Gandhi, his competitor at the time. “Yesterday, one of the tallest leaders of the Congress, speaking in a loud voice on 1984, said ”84 ka danga hua to hua”. Do you know who this leader is, he is very close to the Gandhi family…this leader was a very good friend of Rajiv Gandhi and the guru of Congress ”naamdar” (dynast) president,” he said, without mentioning Rahul. Pitroda later apologised while the Congress issued a clarification. However, the damage had been done by then.
Also Read: ‘1984 happened, so what?’ Sam Pitroda’s shocker on anti-Sikh riots triggers a storm
‘Selfish middle-class’: Sam Pitroda over funding of NYAY scheme
In April 2019, Pitroda left the Congress squandering for cover when he said in a TV interview that the middle class should not be “selfish” and be prepared to shell out more taxes to fund the party’s proposed NYAY, a scheme that would guarantee minimum income for every poor household. Pitroda said that while the middle class will have more opportunities and jobs, their taxes may rise marginally if the NYAY scheme becomes a reality. “The middle class should not be selfish and have a big heart,” he said.
The remarks triggered a major controversy, prompting senior party leaders to jump to damage control. “I have already said in a press conference and various interviews: there will be no increase in the tax burden of the middle class. This is our promise,” former FM P Chidambaram said. Rahul Gandhi was also forced to clarify that funds for the NYAY scheme would be generated by cutting down on wasteful government expenditure and mobilising additional resources.
Also Read: Not in my NYAY: Rahul Gandhi disowns Sam Pitroda’s selfish ‘middle-class’ remark
‘Happens all the time’: Sam Pitroda on Pulwama attack
A month after the Balakot air strikes by the Indian Air Force in February 2019 in the aftermath of the Pulwama attacks, Pitroda questioned the veracity of the government’s claims of casualties reported by the government during the operation. Batting for dialogue with Pakistan, Pitroda said that it was wrong to blame all citizens of Pakistan for an attack mounted by a handful of its people.
“I don’t know much about attacks. It happens all the time. Attack happened in Mumbai also. We could have then reacted and just sent our planes but that is not right approach. According to me that’s not how you deal with world,” Pitroda said, demanding proof of the IAF’s operation. “Eight people (26/11 terrorists) come and do something, you don’t jump on entire nation (Pakistan). Naive to assume that just because some people came here and attacked, every citizen of that nation is to be blamed. I don’t believe in that way.”
His remark even invited sharp criticism from Prime Minister Narendra Modi who took to Twitter to say Pitroda’s remark was the start of Pakistan National Day celebrations on behalf of the Congress president. Amit Shah, then BJP president, said the Congress was known for indulging in vote bank politics. “But can this be above national interest?” he asked targetting Rahul Gandhi.
Temples won’t create jobs: Sam Pitroda
In June this year, Pitroda set off another political controversy when he said that temples are not going to solve India’s problems of unemployment, education and health. “We have a problem with unemployment, inflation, education and health. No one talks about these things. But everyone talks about Ram, Hanuman and Mandir. I have said that temples are not going to create jobs,” Pitroda said at an event in the US in the presence of Rahul Gandhi during the latter’s trip abroad.
Sam Pitroda, an associate of Rajiv Gandhi, is as clueless as vicious. He can baby sit his colleague’s overgrown son but need not berate India, of which he has no clue…For instance, retail inflation in India is down to 4.7% in April 2023, lowest in 18 months. Wholesale… pic.twitter.com/XhLzUpCOOQ
— Amit Malviya (@amitmalviya) June 5, 2023
The remark drew a rather lengthy retort from BJP leader Amit Malviya who accused Pitroda and Rahul Gandhi of being ‘Hinduphobic’. “….Sam’s intention to spew venom on Hindus and denigrate Temples, which have sustained civilisations, not just economies, was perhaps to please the coordinators of the program in NY and the audience they may have drawn in….Sam Pitroda spoke for Rahul Gandhi, whose studied silence was endorsement of the Hinduphobic diatribe,” Malviya tweeted.