NEW DELHI: A year after his “racist” remark about India’s diversity, chairman of Indian Overseas Congress Sam Pitroda has once again courted controversy by suggesting that India should be tolerant towards illegal Bangladeshi migrants at a time when govt has insisted on identifying and deporting them.
BJP reacted strongly saying the Congress functionary’s statement advocating for the permanent settlement of illegal migrants in India was “outrageous.”
“Sam Pitroda is integral to Rahul Gandhi’s core team. Therefore his remarks advocating settlement of illegal migrants should be seen as Congress stand. Congress has been ambiguous on the subject but there is a clarity now that they want the country’s resources to be looted by illegal migrants,” BJP’s chief spokesperson Anil Baluni told TOI. He further said that since there is no statement from Congress on Pitroda’s remark, one should consider it as an open endorsement to what their overseas head has said.
In the undated video, the Congress neta, seemingly speaking in global terms initially, is heard faulting governments for targeting immigrants instead of worrying “about the planet, or global warming, or the people”.
“….Because we will go after immigration. They are poor, hungry, they come after a lot of hardships. Of course, they come illegally, that is also not good. But we will go after immigration. In our country, they will go after Bangladeshis, go after the minorities, instead of saying we will include everybody. If we have to suffer a little bit, its ok. We will suffer a bit. We will share. But nobody wants to share. They want to keep their pie bigger and bigger,” Pitroda said.