Sam Pitroda Stirs Row with China Comments, Congress Dithers, BJP Attacks Remarks

New Delhi: Indian Overseas Congress (IOC) president Sam Pitroda caused a row on Monday by expressing the opinion that India must desist from regarding China as its enemy, rather encouraging more communication and cooperation. His comments invited hot responses from the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), but the Congress party lost no time in distancing itself from his words.

Speaking to news agency IANS, Pitroda raised doubts about the idea of China as a constant threat, saying, “I don’t understand the threat from China. I think this matter is always exaggerated because the US has a tendency to define an enemy. I think the time has come for all of us to actually network nations and not have confrontation.”

He also believed that India has always had an aggressive approach, which in itself creates hostility. “To expect China to be the enemy on day one is not fair, not just to China, but to anyone. It is time for us to learn to maximize communication, partner, cooperate, and co-create, and not have this command and control orientation,” Pitroda said.

Congress Rejects Sam Pitroda’s Remarks

Moving quickly to distance the party from Pitroda’s comments, Congress leader Jairam Ramesh released a statement distancing the party from the views of Pitroda.

“The views attributed to Mr. Sam Pitroda on China are absolutely NOT the views of the Indian National Congress,” Ramesh claimed.

He reiterated that China remains India’s “foremost foreign policy, external security, as well as economic challenge” and criticized the Modi government’s handling of China, particularly referencing Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s statement on June 19, 2020, which was perceived as giving China a “clean chit.”

Ramesh also expressed regret over the absence of parliamentary debates on China-related matters, terming it “extremely regrettable” that Parliament was being deprived of a chance to discuss national security issues.

BJP’s Strong Rebuttal

The BJP attacked Pitroda harshly, saying that he was weakening India’s security and disrespecting the efforts of Indian soldiers. BJP spokesperson Sudhanshu Trivedi said that Pitroda’s statement was not an incident in isolation, as Congress leader Rahul Gandhi too had made similar remarks in the past.

“We had 20 martyred soldiers at Galwan, and after that, if your foreign President speaks in such terms, then it is reprehensible,” Trivedi stated, citing the 2020 Galwan Valley skirmishes between Indian and Chinese military.

BJP chief RP Singh also attacked Pitroda, charging Congress-China nexus. “What else can be expected from Sam Pitroda? What should we expect of Rahul Gandhi? The leaders of his party, to whom he is an advisor, have made deals with China. They have made an MOU between Congress and the Communist Party of China,” Singh remarked.

India-China Tensions

The India-China relationship has been plagued by tensions, especially after the June 15, 2020, Galwan Valley skirmish, the first deadly encounter between the two countries along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in half a century. The deadly clash resulted in the killing of 20 Indian troops, worsening diplomatic relations between New Delhi and Beijing.

Sam Pitroda’s comments have renewed a political debate regarding India’s approach to China. Though he is for engagement and cooperation, the Congress and BJP stick to their view of China as a geopolitical threat. With national security involved, the debate about India’s foreign policy strategy remains fierce in the run-up to the 2025 elections.