Sam Pitroda Says Illegal Migrants Should Be Allowed To Stay In India, BJP Gets Much-Needed Ammo

Nearly a year after his controversial comments about India's diversity stirred a political storm, Sam Pitroda, Chairman of the Indian Overseas Congress and a close aide to Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, has once again found himself at the centre of a new controversy.

Pitroda's recent remarks on illegal migrants in India have ignited further political backlash, with both opposition parties and political analysts criticising his statement.

In a discussion about illegal immigration, Pitroda controversially suggested that illegal migrants should be allowed to settle in India, expressing disapproval of the central government's stance on the issue.

"If they want to come here, even illegally, let them come. We should include everybody. If we have to suffer a little bit, it's okay. We will share, but nobody wants to share. They want to keep their pie bigger and bigger," Pitroda remarked.

Rahul Gandhi's close confidant Sam Pitroda's statement advocating for illegal migrants to settle in India, even at the country's expense, has been labelled shocking and irresponsible.

Pitroda also criticised the government's focus on tackling illegal migration, suggesting instead that it should address more urgent global challenges such as climate change. His comments have drawn sharp criticism, particularly with the issue of illegal immigration becoming a key political topic ahead of the February 5 Delhi Assembly elections.

The ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) swiftly condemned Pitroda's remarks. BJP National Spokesperson Pradeep Bhandari took to social media to express his outrage, calling Pitroda's statement "outrageous."

He further questioned Congress' approach to the matter, stating, "Now you wonder how Congress for the last 70 years worked overtime to settle illegals in our country!"

This statement comes at a time when the contentious issue of illegal Bangladeshi migration has resurfaced as a major political issue in Delhi. The BJP has accused the ruling Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) of facilitating illegal migration by allegedly issuing fake Aadhaar cards to Bangladeshi migrants and using them as a "vote bank" for the upcoming Delhi elections.

This is not the first time Pitroda has courted controversy. During the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, his comments on India's regional diversity also sparked criticism. He had controversially stated, "Northeast people look like Chinese, people in the west look like Arabs, people in the north look like white and the south look like Africa."

As the political climate intensifies ahead of the Delhi Assembly elections, Pitroda's latest comments have further fuelled the debate, with political parties from both sides using the issue of illegal immigration to galvanise their supporters.