Sam Pitroda says 'Pakistan felt like home', sparks Congress-BJP firestorm

In a fresh political showdown that's gripping India's corridors of power, Sam Pitroda, the long-time advisor to Rahul Gandhi and chairman of the Indian Overseas Congress, has dropped a bombshell by declaring that Pakistan "felt like home" during his visits. Speaking today, at a diaspora event, Pitroda advocated for a radical rethink of India's foreign policy, urging a shift from confrontation to collaboration with neighbors like Pakistan, Bangladesh, and Nepal. "I've been to Pakistan, and I must tell you, I felt at home," he said, emphasizing shared cultural roots, from food and songs to the way people talk and look.

This isn't just idle chit-chat—Pitroda's words come amid escalating tensions over cross-border issues, and they've already fueled accusations that the Congress party harbors a dangerous softness toward a nation accused of sponsoring terrorism. As BJP leaders pounce, the remark risks reopening old wounds from events like the 2008 Mumbai attacks, where India's response was seen as tepid under Congress rule.Pitroda, a 84-year-old technocrat who first rose to fame in the 1980s as a key figure in India's telecom revolution under Rajiv Gandhi, has long been the Gandhis' go-to voice on global affairs. His latest pitch paints a vision of regional harmony: "We share a common gene pool; they eat my food, like my songs—why treat them as enemies?" He lambasted India's "confrontational" stance from day one, arguing it breeds unnecessary foes and domestic applause for tough talk, while ignoring opportunities for peace.

Sam Pitroda didn't shy away from tough realities like terrorism but insisted dialogue must trump isolation, especially with China and Pakistan. Yet, in a nation still scarred by Pulwama, Uri, and countless border skirmishes, his folksy nostalgia for neighborly vibes strikes many as tone-deaf, handing rivals a loaded gun to fire at Congress's national security credentials.The backlash from the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) was swift and savage, turning Pitroda's olive branch into a political piñata.

BJP spokesperson Pradeep Bhandari didn't hold back, tweeting that Pitroda—whom he dubbed Rahul Gandhi's "blue-eyed boy"—had exposed why the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government "took no tough action against Pakistan even after 26/11," the Mumbai terror siege that claimed 166 lives. "Pakistan's favorite, Congress's chosen!" Bhandari quipped, linking the remark to broader claims of Congress giving Islamabad clean chits on attacks like Samjhauta and Pahalgam. It's a narrative the BJP has honed over years, portraying the opposition as Islamabad's unwitting allies, from alleged backchannel talks with Lashkar-e-Taiba chief Hafiz Saeed to echoing Pakistan's lines on Article 370's abrogation.

Shehzad Poonawalla, another BJP spokesperson, piled on with equal venom, dredging up Pitroda's past gaffes—like his infamous "Hua to hua" (it happened, so what) quip on the 1984 anti-Sikh riots and racially charged comments on Indian diversity during the 2024 elections. "Uncle Sam Pitroda, who divides Indians and stays in the US away from India, finds a home in Pakistan!" Poonawalla roared, accusing Congress of an "undying love" for the neighbor across the border. He rattled off a litany of perceived Congress betrayals: 80% water sharing under the Indus Waters Treaty, no retaliation after surgical strikes, and even supporting slogans like "Bharat tere tukde honge" (may India break into pieces). For the BJP, riding high on a muscular nationalism that propelled them back to power, this is red meat for their base—proof that Congress can't be trusted with India's sovereignty.As the dust settles—or rather, as the mudslinging intensifies—Pitroda's comments underscore a deeper fault line in Indian politics: the eternal tug-of-war between hawks and doves on foreign policy.

Congress insiders are scrambling for damage control, with some anonymously whispering that Pitroda's freelance diplomacy often leaves them cleaning up the mess, much like his 2024 resignation as Overseas Congress head after inheritance tax and ethnic jabs. Rahul Gandhi himself has stayed mum so far, but the silence speaks volumes in an election cycle where every word is weaponized. Pitroda, undeterred, doubled down by dismissing BJP's Soros conspiracy theories as "lies," insisting his call for neighborly ties is about pragmatic peace, not capitulation. Whether this blows over as another footnote in his colorful career or escalates into a full-blown scandal remains to be seen.

At its core, this episode isn't just about one man's reminiscences—it's a microcosm of India's fraught dance with Pakistan, a rivalry laced with cricket camaraderie one day and ceasefire violations the next. Pitroda's plea for harmony echoes the subcontinent's intertwined histories, from Partition's tragedy to shared Sufi melodies, but it crashes headlong against the wall of public grief over terror orphans and soldier coffins.Congress faces a stark choice: disavow their elder statesman or own his vision of a less hostile neighborhood. In the end, while politicians trade barbs, ordinary Indians might wonder if "feeling at home" across borders could ever outweigh the cost of vigilance. For now, though, the fireworks show no sign of fading.