"His View, Not Congress's": Sam Pitroda On Jairam Ramesh's "Assurance" Post

"What Jairam says is Jairam's view, it is not necessarily the party's view. It is okay for Jairam to say that and I respect it. I have to do what I have to do. In the process, I am entitled to make mistakes," Sam Pitroda said.

Sam Pitroda, the Congress's overseas unit chief, is back in his post -- with an apparent caveat. The party's communication in-charge Jairam Ramesh said Mr  Pitroda had "given an assurance" that he would, in future, leave no room for controversy. Asked about the matter, Mr Pitroda replied, a trifle sharply, that it was not the Congress view, but the view of Mr Ramesh. During the recent election campaign Sam Pitroda had made some statements and comments that were totally unacceptable to the Indian National Congress. By mutual consent he stepped down as Chairman of Overseas Indian Congress. Subsequently he clarified the context in which…

"The Congress is not saying that. Jairam is saying that," he told NDTV in an exclusive interview today. "What Jairam says is Jairam's view, it is not necessarily the party's view. It is okay for Jairam to say that and I respect it. I have to do what I have to do. In the process, I am entitled to make mistakes," he said.

Mr Pitroda, who had stepped down from his post on May 8 after a couple of comments that became hugely controversial, was reinstated yesterday.