Pitroda says he is ‘baffled’ at PM Modi’s response

New Delhi: Sam Pitroda, Congress chief Rahul Gandhi’s close confidant, on Friday said he is “baffled” at the response of Prime Minister Narendra Modi who slammed Pitroda for questioning the death toll in the Balakot airstrike in Pakistan.

“I just said as a citizen I’m entitled to know what happened. I don’t understand what is the controversy here, I am baffled at the response. Shows how people react to trivial matters in India,” he said.

In an interview to ANI earlier on Friday, Pitroda, also the chairman of Overseas Indian National Congress, had questioned the death toll in the air strike by the Indian Air Force in Pakistan in retaliation to the Pulwama terror attack.

Reacting to the remarks, Prime Minister Modi hit out at Pitroda, tweeting that Pitroda “kick-started the Pakistan National Day celebrations on behalf of the Congress”.

Pakistan observes its National Day on March 23.

“What is the problem in raising a question? As a citizen in a democracy, discussion, dialogue, debate, discourse is a way of life,” Pitroda said.

BJP president Amit Shah and several other party leaders also lambasted Pitroda for his comments in the interview.

[source_without_link]ANI[/source_without_link]