The Congress party has distanced itself from Sam Pitroda’s remarks regarding China, asserting that his views do not reflect the official stance of the party. This clarification comes after Pitroda expressed doubts about the threat posed by China, a statement that has since sparked controversy.
Pitroda, a senior Congress leader and the party's overseas in-charge, questioned the perceived Chinese threat, calling it exaggerated.
He suggested that India’s concerns regarding China were overstated and emphasised that it was the United States, rather than China, that had a tendency to define an enemy. His comments were made during an interview and quickly became the subject of intense political debate.
Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh was swift to respond, clarifying the party’s position on the matter. On the social media platform X, Ramesh stated, "The views reportedly expressed by Sam Pitroda on China are most definitely not the views of the Indian National Congress."
This was an attempt to distance the party from Pitroda’s controversial comments and reaffirm its stance on China, which is one of the major foreign policy and security challenges for India.
Ramesh further criticised the current government’s handling of the China issue, especially in light of the Modi administration's responses to the threat posed by its neighbouring giant.
He pointed out that Congress had consistently raised concerns about China’s growing influence and its economic and security challenges for India.
One of the key points of contention for the Congress party has been Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s public statements, particularly his “clean chit” to China on June 19, 2020.
The Congress party’s most recent statement on China, as mentioned by Ramesh, was made on January 28, 2025, further underlining its continued apprehension regarding China’s intentions.
Pitroda’s comments were in response to a recent offer by US President Donald Trump, who suggested that he could mediate the ongoing issues between India and China during Prime Minister Modi’s visit to Washington.
While the Indian government promptly rejected Trump’s offer, Pitroda’s remarks drew sharp criticism from the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), which wasted no time in accusing him of undermining India’s diplomatic and national interests.
The BJP seized upon Pitroda’s remarks as an opportunity to target both him and his party. Senior BJP leader Sudhanshu Pandey lambasted Pitroda, suggesting that his comments were reflective of the Congress party’s stance on China.
Pandey further attempted to link Pitroda’s statement to past controversial remarks made by Congress leader Rahul Gandhi. During one of his foreign trips, Gandhi had reportedly praised China for addressing unemployment, despite the fact that China’s unemployment rate is relatively low at 24 per cent.
The BJP used this connection to argue that the Congress party has consistently downplayed the challenges posed by China and failed to recognise the seriousness of the issue.
In the face of criticism from the BJP and political opponents, Congress has attempted to recalibrate its position.
The party has sought to clarify that while Pitroda’s personal views might have been controversial, they do not represent the collective stance of the Congress party, especially on matters as sensitive as India’s foreign policy and security.
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