Sam Pitroda's nasty comments disastrous

If it was an attempt to introduce a note of levity, the words were a disastrous flop. Nothing else portrays the damage that Sam Pitroda has inflicted upon the Congress in his Mani Shankar Aiyar moment, better - disaster.

The potential of those who surround the Nehru-Gandhi family is immense. They train the heirs assiduously to take on their opponents and when the big day arrives, they lose their patience and the fine mental balance that is required of them in a great measure and turn into modern 'Shakunis'.

Ah yes, Priyanka Vadra was referring to Duryodhana the other day. And she should have realised that there are too many Shakunis in her party's flock.

No sane mind would have advised any tongue residing below it to bark "hua tho hua" while referring to anti-Sikh riots following Indira Gandhi's assassination. 1984 anti-Sikh riots do not fall under the category of 'hua tho hua".

They belong to the category of "kiya gaya and rachaya gaya". Just as questions regarding Gujarat riots keep coming back to Narendra Modi-Amit Shah duo, anti-Sikh riots too haunt the Congress forever.

The wounds are fresh and the Congress leaders ensure that no one forgets it. Sam Pitroda has company, of course, in the party. Where was the need for someone to say 'maut ka saudagar' or 'chaiwallah' or 'neech'.

Each time they said it Modi only bounced back vigorously to power. Of course, these elections are witnessing a new low in public discourses and political speeches but this one is even beyond that.

Not only about anti-Sikh riots, Sam Pitroda talked about everything else that is weighing in on the Indian minds in these elections. He trivialised the 26/11 attacks in Mumbai and called the terrorists "persons".

He called them non-State actors and gave a clean chit to Pakistan. Everyone laughed at Sunny Deol when he asked what about Balakot. It was pure ignorance and the only reaction it evoked was laughter.

Sam Pitroda's comments were as macabre as the massacre of Indians in Mumbai by Kasab and his fellow terrorists. If he also did not know about the Balakot strike he should have kept silent.

You don't ridicule some select foreign media stories to question Indian government's claims. You don't question your own Air Force's statement, damn it.

If it is all a personal viewpoint, then better shut the mouth. Now, the Congress party is going through the process of damage-control but without much result.

The damage is done and Pitroda has given the right ammo to the BJP which has plucked out Late Rajiv Gandhi's speech in which he said "when a tree falls, the earth shakes" to prove its point, and is circulating it.

Elections are not yet over and the BJP is fighting to retain every single seat it has won the last time and improve its tally further.

The Congress's political hubris will not allow Rahul Gandhi to make his mark. What a pity! Why do they even do that? We don't know.

Delhi and Punjab are going to polls on May 12 and May 19. At least, did Pitroda know this?