No Point Seeking Apology…”: Kiren Rijiju Slams Congress, Sam Pitroda

New Delhi: 

Union Minister Kiren Rijiju hit out at the Congress and its senior leader, Sam Pitroda, on Wednesday evening accusing the latter of making statements “harmful for unity and integrity” of the country. When asked about an apology from the Congress leader, Mr Rijiju said that there was no point in seeking such an apology from the opposition party, since justifications made by its other leaders are irrelevant.

“There’s no point in seeking an apology from them. It has been their character…” he said.

The attack comes amid a row over Mr Pitroda’s remarks in an interview to The Statesman, in which he described India as a “… diverse country… where people (in the) East look like Chinese, (in the) West look like Arabs, (in the) North look like, maybe, white (people), and (in the) South look like Africans”. 

I heard the statement today and must say I was not surprised at such comments from Sam Pitroda. It is shocking because it comes at a time when we are trying to unite the country… we have to be together, we are one. India is a nation known as a very diverse but united,” Mr Rijiju told NDTV this evening, “So this statement is in very bad taste. In fact, it is very harmful for the unity and integrity of the country.”

Mr Rijiju also attacked the Congress because of the close connections between party MP Rahul Gandhi and Mr Pitroda, who has since stepped down from his position as head of the party’s overseas unit.

“Sam Pitroda’s remark can’t be taken lightly because he is the advisor for Rahul Gandhi… and Sam Pitroda was also a great friend of (former Prime Minister) Rajiv Gandhi and was very close to him, and still continues to guide the Gandhi family,” Mr Rijiju said.