Congress leader Sam Pitroda's 'China not our enemy' remark triggers political row, BJP reacts

Pitroda, who has previously also been at the centre of controversies, speaking to news agency IANS, said that India's approach to China has been confrontational and that mindset needed to change.

"I don't understand the threat from China. I think this issue is often blown out of proportion because the US has a tendency to define an enemy. I believe the time has come for all nations to collaborate, not confront. Our approach has been confrontational from the very beginning, and this attitude creates enemies, which in turn garners support within the country. We need to change this mindset and stop assuming that China is the enemy from day one," he said in the interview.

He was responding to a question on whether Prime Minister Narendra Modi and US President Donald Trump would be able to control the threats from China.

How did the ruling-BJP respond? 

Slamming back at the Congress veteran, the BJP said that the party’s “obsession with China” lies in a 2008 Memorandum for Understanding between the Congress and the Chinese Communist Party, the party that runs the neighbouring country.

"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 and was rooting for BRI one day before the IMEEC was announced. The crux of Congress party's obsessive fascination for China, lies hidden in the mysterious 2008 Cong-CCP MOU," said the BJP's national spokesperson Tuhin Sinha.

Echoing similar views, BJP leader Ajay Alok said, "Sam Pitroda is the mentor of Rahul Gandhi. Rahul Gandhi has also signed a secret treaty with the People's Liberation Party of China. Rajiv Gandhi had taken funds from China. Jawaharlal Nehru gave the Aksai Chin and India's seat in UNSC to China. The friendship between Congress and China is quite old.”