New Delhi : Bharatiya Janata Party on Wednesday slammed Chairman of Indian Overseas Congress Sam Pitroda over his remark "People in East look like Chinese, in South, look like Africans" and said that the latter has given a very "Objectionable" statement on India, its culture and identity of the people.
Addressing a press conference here today, BJP MP Sudhanshu Trivedi said, "This is the battle of the idea of India on the question of India's identity and its existence. This is the foreign mindset that was infiltrated in our minds by the Mughals and Britishers, that we all are outsiders and India was just an inn. Congress' mindset is clear, their concept is 'Bharat ko andar se todo, bahar se jodo."
Further, he said that those affected by the ideas of such foreign advisors can't understand the idea when the Prime Minister says that India is the mother of democracy.
"He is saying that India's diversity and democracy are being challenged due to the Ram temple, RamNavami, and India's PM's visit to the Ram temple. I want to reiterate, that those affected by the ideas of such foreign advisors can't understand that idea, when PM Modi says, that India is the mother of democracy. Why do they think that everything has been given to us by the foreign? His statement shows his ignorance and contempt for the fundamental identity of the country," Trivedi said.
"To the culture that he is claiming has weakened the idea of India and democracy, that culture is a fundamental base of democracy and diversity. To protect the Babri structure, you were standing in the court, and to malign the Ram temple you are standing even from abroad. I want an answer to this from the Congress party," he added.
Continuing his attacks, Sudhanshu Trivedi said that gradually, the mask of Congress is falling. Both inside and outside the country. "Today, Sam Pitroda, to whom Rahul Gandhi is a disciple, has given a very objectionable statement on India, its culture, India's identity, and the identity of its people. It seems that this subject isn't limited only to elections or politics but to the existence of India, as they are questioning the very identity of the country," Sudhanshu said.
Earlier, speaking about how India is a shining example of democracy in the world, Pitroda said that the people of the country have "survived 75 years in a very happy environment where people could live together leaving a few fights here and there".
Pitroda, in an interview with 'The Statesman', while reflecting upon the democracy in India said, "We have survived 75 years in a very happy environment where people could live together, leaving aside few fights here and there. We could hold a country together as diverse as India, where people on the east look like Chinese, people on the West look like Arab, people on the North look like white and maybe people on the South look like Africans."