Congress' Sam Pitroda says 'always felt at home in Pakistan'; BJP cries foul

Overseas Congress chief and technocrat urges the Centre to shift its foreign policy to focus on the neighbourhood countries

Overseas Congress chief and technocrat Sam Pitroda, while urging the Centre to shift its foreign policy to focus on the neighbourhood countries, seems to have put the grand old party in a spot again.

The technocrat-politician, while speaking to IANS, said India must engage with Pakistan and Bangladesh despite the issues of violence and terrorism in these countries. He added that he always "felt at home" when he visited Pakistan and countries like Nepal and Bangladesh.

India's neighbourhoods have been witnessing turmoil in the last couple of years, with Nepal being the latest.

"Our foreign policy, according to me, must first focus on our neighbourhood. Can we really substantially improve relationships with our neighbours?... I've been to Pakistan, and I must tell you, I felt at home," Pitroda said in an interview.

He also recalled his visits to Bangladesh and Nepal.

"I've been to Bangladesh, I've been to Nepal, and I feel at home. I don't feel like I'm in a foreign country," he added.

The BJP soon caught on to Pitroda's remarks and said the Congress leadership is undermining the national interest of the country.

"Rahul Gandhi's blue-eyed boy & Congress Overseas chief Sam Pitroda says he 'felt at home' in Pakistan. No wonder UPA took no tough action against Pak even after 26/11. Pakistan's favourite, Congress's chosen!" said BJP spokesperson Pradeep Bhandari.

Incidentally, this is not the first time Pitroda's remarks landed him and the Congress in soup. Earlier, the Congress had distanced itself from its Overseas Congress chairman, who had triggered controversies by using alleged racial remarks to depict India's diversity and making controversial statements on the Balakot surgical strike, wealth tax and anti-Sikh riots.

In May last year, Pitroda had quit the Congress post after his racial analogy triggered controversies. However, he was reinstated to the post later on.