Soon after Pitroda’s comments grabbed attention, the BJP accused the Congress party of having a “dangerous and divisive mindset”
In the middle of the Lok Sabha election, dramatic developments have reduced the BJP-led state government to a minority in Haryana Assembly. The Congress is now racing against time to make the most of the situation and cobble together the numbers required to topple the Nayab Singh Saini government months before state polls.
Behind the crisis is the decision of three Independent MLAs to switch from the BJP camp to the Congress side last evening. MLAs Sombir Sangwan (Dadri), Randhir Singh Gollen (Pundri) and Dharampal Gonder (Nilokheri) announced their decision to withdraw support to the BJP government at a press meet in Rohtak yesterday. They were accompanied by Leader of the Opposition in the Assembly, Congress’s Bhupinder Singh Hooda, and state Congress chief Udai Bhan.
Addressing the media, Mr Hooda said, “The government should resign. President’s rule should be imposed in the state and elections held. This is an anti-people government.”
Chief Minister Saini, who took over the top post just about two months back, had a guarded response. “When I heard about it, I knew that moment the Congress is trying to fulfil their wishes. Everyone has a wish. But the people know. They know the Congress has got nothing to do with the wishes of people, but is only focused on fulfilling their wishes,” he said. The Chief Minister did not elaborate on how the BJP plans to counter the threat to its government.
In a significant remark, Haryana Speaker Gian Chand Gupta has said a majority test had earlier been conducted on the demand of Mr Hooda and there is no need to conduct another for six months. The Nayab Singh Saini government cleared a trust vote soon after he took over in March.
The JJP Factor
Adding a twist to the Haryana political upheaval, the BJP’s former ally Jannayak Janta Party (JJP) has offered support to the Congress. JJP leader and former Deputy Chief Minister Dushyant Chautala has said the government has lost the trust of the people. “We will support a move to bring down the government. The Congress has to decide if it will make a move or not,” he said. This comes less than two months after the BJP parted ways with JJP, which has 10 MLAs, and cobbled together enough numbers to cross the majority mark.
How The Numbers Stack Up
The 90-seat Haryana Assembly currently has 88 members. This means the majority mark is 45. The BJP has 40 MLAs of its own and is supported by three out of 6 Independent MLAs. This makes it 43, two short of the magic figure. The Congress has 30 legislators and three Independents now support it. If the JJP backs it, the Congress will have the support of 43 MLAs. This leaves two MLAs — one from Haryana Lokhit Party and the other from INLD.
The Chautala Family Factor
An interesting subplot playing out amid the Haryana government crisis is linked to the Chautala clan that once dominated the state’s political landscape before a string of poll setbacks, convictions and a split reduced INLD to a one-man party in the Assembly. Currently, INLD general secretary Abhay Chautala is the party’s lone MLA in the Assembly. Now that the JJP, led by Mr Chautala’s estranged nephew Dushyant Chautala has offered support to the Congress, the question is will Abhay Chautala remain on the same side or join ranks with BJP.
Senior Congress leader Sam Pitroda – whose comment last month about an inheritance tax in the United States sparked a massive fight with the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party – has triggered another row in his attempt to make a pitch for national unity.
In an exclusive interview with The Statesman, Mr Pitroda described India as a “… diverse country… where people on East look like Chinese, people on West look like Arab, people on North look like maybe White and people in South look like Africa”.
The remark has been slammed by senior BJP leaders, including Manipur Chief Minister N Biren Singh and his Assam counterpart, Himanta Biswa Sarma, who posted on X, ” Sam bhai, I am from the northeast, and I look like an Indian. We are a diverse country – we may look different, but we are all one.”
“Hamare desh ke bare mein thoda to samajh lo! (Please understand at least something about our country)” the senior BJP leader hit back at Mr Pitroda.
Sam bhai, I am from the North East and I look like an Indian. We are a diverse country – we may look different but we are all one.
Hamare desh ke bare mein thoda to samajh lo! https://t.co/eXairi0n1n
— Himanta Biswa Sarma (Modi Ka Parivar) (@himantabiswa) May 8, 2024
Actor-politician Kangana Ranaut, the BJP’s Lok Sabha candidate from Mandi in Himachal Pradesh, also responded, accusing Mr Pitroda of making “racist” and “divisive” comments.
“Sam Pitroda is Rahul Gandhi’s mentor. Listen to his racist and divisive jibes for Indians. Their whole (the Congress’) ideology is about divide and rule. It’s sickening to call fellow Indians Chinese and African. Shame on Congress!” she said.
BJP leader Shehzad Poonawalla called Mr Pitroda’s comment “shocking, despicable and disgusting”.
“He is the mentor of Rahul Gandhi. It is the word, spirit, vocabulary and ideology of Rahul Gandhi… First, they divided on the basis of caste, religion and language. Now, they are dividing Indian vs. Indian. And to make a comment like Indians are like Chinese, isn’t it a racist comment? Isn’t it insulting and objectionable ? It shows ‘Congress ki Mohabbat ki Dukan actually has ‘nafrat‘ and ‘racism ka saman‘…”
#WATCH | Delhi: On Chairman of Indian Overseas Congress, Sam Pitroda’s controversial “People in East look like Chinese, in South look like Africans…” remark, BJP leader Shehzad Poonawalla says, “This is a shocking, despicable and disgusting comment made by Sam Pitroda. He is… pic.twitter.com/jQ9tMRAkyY
— ANI (@ANI) May 8, 2024
Mr Pitroda was responding to a question about what the Congress has tried to make one of the fundamental issues of the 2024 Lok Sabha election – that the BJP, should it win this poll, will look to alter the basic nature of the country’s socio-economic fabric, including by changing the Constitution.
Mr Pitroda referred to a “really divided country today based on ideas of India”, and said, “It is not a question of who is right or wrong… but a question of what you believe in.”
“… there is another view that says our founding fathers fought the British Raj not for a Hindu nation but for a secular nation. Pakistan decided to make a nation based on religion… you can see how that is going. We are a shining example of democracy in the world. We have survived 70-75 years in a very happy environment, leaving aside a few fights here and there,” he said.
“… we are all brothers and sisters, we respect different languages, religions, customs, and food. As a Gujarati, I love dosa. So, if I go to Tamil Nadu and speak the local language, it is ok. I am still at home… that is my India, rooted in democracy, freedom, liberty, and fraternity,” he declared.
This view, Mr Pitroda declared, “is being challenged by one that includes the Ram Temple and Ram Navami and the PM going to temples all the time and talking not as a national leader, but that of the BJP”.
This comes days after the BJP ripped into the Congress over Mr Pitroda’s comments over an inheritance tax.
Mr Pitroda’s comments then came as the Congress fended off a vicious attack by the BJP, which was sparked by Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s remarks about Muslims, and claims of “wealth redistribution… to those who have the most children… to infiltrators”. Mr Pitroda then, speaking to news agency ANI, had said the Congress always helps people at the bottom of the economic pyramid, and cited the inheritance tax in the United States as an example of “…new policies so concentration of wealth can be prevented”.
READ | Congress In Firefighting Mode Amid Row Over Sam Pitroda’s Remarks
The BJP had hit back fiercely, with several of its leaders taking aim at Mr Pitroda over his comments and allegations of the Congress’ “wealth redistribution” plans, which the party firmly denied.
NDTV FACT CHECK | Has Congress Really Promised ‘Wealth Redistribution’?
The Congress, on that occasion, had distanced itself from Mr Pitroda’s comments, with senior communications figure Jairam Ramesh saying, “this does not mean Mr Pitroda’s views always reflect the position of the Indian National Congress”.