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Sam Pitroda’s remarks on temples, schools and jobs have triggered a political row. BJP’s CR Kesavan and RP Singh hit back as Priyank Kharge defends Pitroda.
Sam Pitroda’s remarks on temples and development priorities have triggered a fresh BJP-Congress political controversy. (Photo: PTI)
A fresh political controversy has erupted over Congress leader Sam Pitroda’s remarks questioning India’s priorities, with the BJP accusing him of belittling Hindu faith and culture. At the same time, Karnataka Minister Priyank Kharge has defended him by invoking Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s own remarks from 2017.
In an exclusive conversation with NDTV, Pitroda raised questions about the condition of schools and the country’s development priorities while pointing to the construction and rise of temples.
His comments have since triggered a sharp political backlash, with the BJP arguing that the issues of education and temples cannot be pitted against each other.
The controversy centres on Pitroda’s argument that temples alone cannot address India’s employment challenge.
His remarks have been seized upon by the BJP as another instance of what it describes as the Congress’ alleged hostility towards Hindu religious and cultural concerns.
BJP Says Temples And Schools Cannot Be Compared
BJP national spokesperson RP Singh, speaking to CNN-News18, said temples and schools represented different aspects of Indian life and should not be placed in opposition to each other.
“Temples are a cultural heritage,” Singh said, arguing that temples had been destroyed and demolished during a particular period and therefore needed to be restored.
He added that schools and temples were “both equally important” and said it was not correct to suggest that temples were less important than schools.
The BJP has responded that development and preservation of religious and cultural heritage are not mutually exclusive. The party has also accused Pitroda of attacking Indian faith through his comments.
The political exchange comes amid heightened attention on Uttar Pradesh, where religious and cultural issues have historically played a significant role in electoral politics.
CR Kesavan Attacks Pitroda
BJP national spokesperson CR Kesavan launched a more direct attack on Pitroda in a post on X.
Kesavan described Pitroda as the “poster-boy” of the Congress leadership when it came to what he called the “belittling and badmouthing” of India’s civilisational heritage and culture.
“Why does Sam Pitroda, who is out on bail in the National Herald case, repeatedly abuse and insult the faith of crores of Indians?” Kesavan said in his post.
He further alleged that Pitroda’s latest remarks were not an isolated incident but part of a pattern, calling him a “serial offender” when it came to what he termed the maligning of India and its culture.
Kesavan also linked Pitroda directly to the Congress leadership, saying that Pitroda was “the mentor of Rahul Gandhi” and alleging that his criticism of temples reflected what he called the “Hindu-virodhi mindset” of the Congress leadership.
Priyank Kharge Defends Pitroda, Cites PM Modi
Karnataka Minister Priyank Kharge came out in defence of Pitroda, arguing that the criticism ignores an earlier position expressed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Kharge referred to PM Modi’s 2017 remarks on development priorities, citing the Prime Minister’s emphasis at the time on basic infrastructure and development in Ayodhya before focusing on the construction of a temple.
The BJP, however, rejected that framing, arguing that temples constitute part of India’s cultural heritage and that religious heritage cannot simply be weighed against schools and jobs.
The latest controversy also revives an argument Pitroda has made before.
In 2023, Pitroda had questioned the emphasis on religious issues while discussing unemployment, inflation, education and healthcare.
He said that while these issues were not receiving enough attention, political discourse was focused on “Ram, Hanuman and Mandir”. He also argued that temples would not create jobs.
The BJP has interpreted Pitroda’s comments as an attack on faith, while Pitroda’s argument is being presented by his supporters as a question of development priorities.
Quick Answers
Ask News18Sam Pitroda’s remarks on temples and schools have sparked a political controversy, with the BJP accusing the Congress of an anti-Hindu mindset. This controversy comes at a politically sensitive time, particularly with attention on the upcoming Uttar Pradesh elections.
Ask News18About the Author
Vani Mehrotra is the Deputy News Editor at News18.com. She has more than 10 years of experience in national and international news and has previously worked on multiple desks.
August 28, 2026, 12:04 IST
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