News Brief
“Stop Assuming China Is the Enemy”: Sam Pitroda’s Remark Triggers Political Storm, BJP Links It To Congress' Past Deals With CCP
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi (R) with Sam Pitroda. (File photo)
Congress veteran Sam Pitroda, who leads the party’s overseas unit, has found himself at the centre of a fresh controversy after suggesting that the threat from China is often exaggerated and that India should stop considering its neighbour as an enemy, reported NDTV
His remarks have drawn sharp criticism from the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), which accused the Congress of harbouring an “obsessive fascination for China.”
Pitroda’s Remarks on China
In an interview with IANS, Pitroda claimed that India's stance toward China has been unnecessarily confrontational and that a collaborative approach is needed in global geopolitics.
“I don't understand the threat from China. I think this issue is often blown out of proportion because the US has a tendency to define an enemy. I believe the time has come for all nations to collaborate, not confront. Our approach has been confrontational from the very beginning, and this attitude creates enemies, which in turn garners support within the country. We need to change this mindset and stop assuming that China is the enemy from day one,” he said quoted as saying by NDTV.
His statement comes in the backdrop of Congress leader Rahul Gandhi’s assertion in Parliament that India had lost territory to China—a claim that the government has categorically denied. The comments also follow India’s rejection of US President Donald Trump’s offer to mediate border disputes with China last month.
BJP’s Strong Rebuttal
The BJP was quick to react, highlighting what it called the Congress’s long-standing affinity for China. BJP national spokesperson Tuhin Sinha linked Pitroda’s remarks to a controversial 2008 Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed between the Congress party and the Chinese Communist Party (CCP).
The MoU, which the Ministry of External Affairs described as a ‘secret deal’ in an RTI response in 2020, was signed on 7 August 2008, to facilitate “high-level information and cooperation” between the Congress party and the CCP.
Congress Under Fire Again
BJP spokesperson Pradeep Bhandari also took aim at Pitroda, emphasising his close ties with Rahul Gandhi and accusing the Congress of placing China’s interests above India’s national security concerns.
This is not the first time that Pitroda has courted controversy. In 2024, his comments on India’s diversity were widely criticized as racist, drawing backlash from Prime Minister Narendra Modi himself. Although he later attempted to clarify his stance, Congress distanced itself from his remarks.
Despite the uproar, Pitroda briefly stepped down as Congress overseas chief, only to return to the position seven weeks later.
During the 2024 general elections, he was again at the centre of a political storm when he made remarks about inheritance tax, leading the BJP to allege that Congress planned to redistribute Indians’ wealth if elected to power.
