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Sam Pitroda flays Centre for hounding illegal Bangladeshis, minorities; stirs controversy

His comments just days before Delhi Assembly elections have ignited a political firestorm, as illegal immigration is a hot-button issue in the capital

Reported by:  PTC News Desk  Edited by:  Jasleen Kaur -- January 28th 2025 07:40 PM
Sam Pitroda flays Centre for hounding illegal Bangladeshis, minorities; stirs controversy

Sam Pitroda flays Centre for hounding illegal Bangladeshis, minorities; stirs controversy

PTC Web Desk: Congress veteran and Rahul Gandhi's close aide, Sam Pitroda, has stirred controversy with his recent remarks advocating for the settlement of illegal immigrants in India. In a video that has gone viral, Pitroda, who is also the chairperson of the Indian Overseas Congress, criticised the Indian government for its crackdown on illegal Bangladeshi immigrants, particularly in the context of the upcoming Delhi elections.

His comments, which came just days before the February 5 Delhi Assembly elections, have ignited a political firestorm, as illegal immigration is a hot-button issue in the capital.


Sam Pitroda, known for his outspoken views, argued that the government should focus on larger global issues such as global warming instead of targeting immigrants, whom he described as "poor and hungry." He acknowledged that illegal immigration is wrong but suggested that the resources used to target immigrants should instead be redirected toward more pressing matters.

"They do so much work to come here. Even though illegal immigration is wrong, we are busy targeting illegal Bangladeshis and minorities," Pitroda said. "We should include everybody. If we have to suffer a little bit, it's okay. But nobody wants to share [resources]. They want to keep their pie bigger and bigger."

Pitroda’s comments come at a time when illegal immigration has been a prominent issue in the political discourse leading up to the Delhi Assembly elections. The Delhi Police has ramped up its efforts to crack down on illegal Bangladeshi immigrants, and the BJP has made the promise to rid the capital of illegal Bangladeshis and Rohingya immigrants if they win the election. The BJP has also levelled accusations against the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), alleging that the ruling party is issuing ration and Aadhaar cards to illegal immigrants to secure their votes. AAP, however, has dismissed these charges as baseless.

The BJP was quick to condemn Pitroda's statement, calling it "outrageous." National spokesperson Pradeep Bhandari criticised Pitroda’s remarks on social media, calling the suggestion that illegal migrants be allowed to settle in India "shocking and irresponsible." "Rahul Gandhi's right-hand man Sam Pitroda's statement advocating for illegal migrants to settle in India, even at the country's expense, is shocking and irresponsible," Bhandari wrote in a tweet. He also took the opportunity to claim that the Congress had been working for decades to settle illegal immigrants in India.

Pitroda is no stranger to controversy. In the past, he had to step down from his post during the 2019 Lok Sabha Elections after comments he made comparing Indians from different regions to people from China and Africa drew widespread criticism

- With inputs from agencies

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