Pitroda's comments, 'voter turnout' funding make clear agenda of harming India: BJP

New Delhi, Feb 17 (PTI) The BJP on Monday cited Indian Overseas Congress leader Sam Pitroda's reported comments negating Chinese threat to India to target the opposition party, claiming that his remarks are in line with its leaders' statements in support of China.

Addressing a press conference, BJP national spokesperson and MP Sudhanshu Trivedi sought to draw a link between US-based Pitroda's remarks, US-based groups funding for "voter turnout" in India and the ruling party's charges against Congress MP Gaurav Gogoi for his alleged links to Pakistan.

"All these things make clear the agenda of harming India. The 'mohabbat ki dukan' of the Congress is for anti-national forces be it George Soros or China," said Trivedi.

The opposition party has nothing but a hateful agenda for India by pitting people against each other in the name of region, caste and language, he alleged.

Pitroda, he said, has openly acknowledged the Congress agreement with China's ruling party.

The Congress leader, whose comments have been a frequent fodder for the BJP's attacks on the opposition party, is reported to have said that he does not understand the threat India faces from China, claiming that it is often blown out of proportion.

The Congress distanced itself from Pitroda's remarks, saying these are not the views of the party and that China remains India's foremost external security and economic challenge.

"The views reportedly expressed by Mr Sam Pitroda on China are most definitely NOT the views of the Indian National Congress," AICC general secretary, communications, Jairam Ramesh, said in a post on X.

Trivedi claimed that Pitroda's comments should not be seen in isolation as he recalled Congress leader Rahul Gandhi's positive words in the past for China's growth story and the manner in which it tackled issues like unemployment.

What Pitroda has said is a severe blow to India's prestige, diplomacy and sovereignty, he said, accusing the veteran Congress functionary of speaking as if it is India which is the aggressor in the conflict with China.

Another BJP spokesperson Tuhin Sinha said, "Those who ceded away 40,000 square km of our land to China, still see no threat from the Dragon.. no wonder Rahul Gandhi is in awe of China." Pitroda's comments, Trivedi said, are an insult to Indian military and the sacrifices made by its personnel, invoking the Galwan clash in which 20 Indian Army personnel laid down their lives while an unspecified number of Chinese soldiers died too.

He said India wants good relations with every country, adding it will be, however, done by maintaining its prestige and security. The BJP spokesperson also took up the issue of funding from the US-based ground into India for "voter turnout" and the ruling party's allegation against Congress MP Gaurav Gogoi for links to Pakistan to hit out at the opposition party.

Asserting that there is no ground left for the Congress to defend itself, he, however, demanded that the opposition party must come out with a clarification.

He also played down the then chief election commissioner S Y Quraishi's rejection of the report that a US agency funding was used for raising voter turnout in India when he headed the poll body.

The clearance was given by the then Congress-led UPA government and so it is for its senior functionaries to come out with a clarification, he added.

This episode showed as to how forces within India joined hands with the powers working against the country to influence its electoral system, he said, adding that the Consortium for Elections and Political Process Strengthening allegedly linked to billionaire investor Soros played an important role behind the scene.

The ruling BJP has often accused Soros of funding and organising programmes against the government led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, and has claimed of his links with the Congress.

Trivedi noted that the Russian government had spoken of foreign interference in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections.

While the issue will be dealt with appropriately and a constitutional body like the Election Commission will take measures it deems fit, the opposition parties have to answer the moral and political questions involving the matter, he added. PTI KR AS AS

Source: PTI