Indian Overseas Congress chief Sam Pitroda sparked controversy on Sunday by stating that the India-China border dispute has been “blown out of proportion” and that it is unfair to assume China as an enemy. His remarks drew sharp criticism from the BJP, which accused the Congress of “ceding away India’s land” to China.
Pitroda questioned the narrative surrounding the dispute while speaking to news agency IANS. “I don’t understand the threat from China. This issue is often exaggerated because the US has the habit of defining an enemy. The time has come for all nations to collaborate, not confront,” he said.
His comments come after former US President Donald Trump offered to mediate the India-China border dispute during Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Washington DC. However, India firmly rejected the proposal, reiterating its preference for a bilateral resolution.
Pitroda also criticised India’s stance on China, arguing that an aggressive approach “creates enemies”. His remarks fueled outrage within the BJP, which accused Congress of being soft on China.
BJP national spokesperson Tuhin Sinha took to X and wrote, “Those who ceded away 40,000 square km of our land to China still see no threat from the Dragon…No wonder Rahul Gandhi is in awe of China and was rooting for BRI just before IMEEC was announced. The Congress party’s fascination with China stems from the mysterious 2008 Cong-CCP MoU.”