Daijiworld Media Network - New Delhi

New Delhi, Sep 9: The BJP on Tuesday hit back at Congress leader Rahul Gandhi over his remarks on the alleged killing of a Manipur-origin musician in Delhi, questioning his silence when Congress leader Sam Pitroda had made controversial remarks about people from the Northeast.

BJP spokesperson Gaurav Bhatia asked Gandhi where he was when Pitroda had said that people from the Northeast looked like the Chinese.

“Was he hiding when Congress leader Sam Pitroda said the people of Northeast looked like the Chinese?” Bhatia asked.

Gandhi had earlier criticised the Centre over the death of the musician, questioning what the Union Home Ministry, headed by Amit Shah, was doing to address what he described as “growing lawlessness”. He also called for a swift investigation into the incident.

The deceased, Chongtham Vikram Singh, a 54-year-old musician from Manipur, died after he was allegedly assaulted by a group of delivery workers and dhaba staff outside his apartment in Kilokari village early Monday.

According to officials, Singh had objected to the group allegedly shouting and consuming alcohol outside his residence when the assault took place.

Police have arrested seven people and apprehended one juvenile in connection with the case.

Addressing a press conference, Bhatia said that under Prime Minister Narendra Modi's leadership, every citizen feels secure and takes pride in being Indian.

“I want to ask a question to this rotten Congress, Rahul Gandhi and Mallikarjun Kharge. When their leader Sam Pitroda said the faces of people from the Northeast resemble those of the Chinese, where did Rahul Gandhi go into hiding?” he asked.

Pitroda, head of the Indian Overseas Congress, had triggered a major controversy in May 2024 after making remarks comparing the physical appearance of people from different parts of India with people from other regions of the world.

In a podcast, Pitroda had said, “People of the east look like the Chinese and those from the south look like Africans.”

He had also said that people in the west looked like Arabs and those in the north looked “maybe” white, while describing India as a country that had managed to remain united despite its diversity.

The remarks sparked widespread criticism, following which the Congress distanced itself from Pitroda's comments.

The party had described the remarks as “unfortunate and unacceptable” and said it “completely dissociates” itself from the statement.

The BJP has now used the controversy to question the Congress leadership's response to the killing of the Manipur-origin musician and to accuse Rahul Gandhi and other senior Congress leaders of remaining silent when Pitroda made the controversial comments.