Overview

• In a Sept 19 IANS interview, Indian Overseas Congress chief Sam Pitroda urged a neighbourhood‑first policy and said he felt “at home” in Pakistan, Bangladesh and Nepal.
• Hours later, he posted a clarification on X saying he meant shared cultural roots and people‑to‑people bonds, not a dismissal of terrorism or victims’ suffering.
• BJP leaders condemned the remark, invoked 26/11 and the Pahalgam attack, referenced Operation Sindoor, and pressed the Gandhi family and Congress for an apology.
• Congress voices offered varied responses, with some framing the comment as personal or defending outreach, while the Samajwadi Party publicly rejected the sentiment.
• Analysts noted Pitroda’s pattern of contentious statements and cautioned that the episode could hurt Congress ahead of the Bihar polls.