Sam Pitroda thanks PM Modi for Diwali greetings, reciprocates warm wishes (Lead)
New Delhi, Nov 13
Indian Overseas Congress Chairperson Sam Pitroda on Thursday thanked Prime Minister Narendra Modi for extending Diwali and Gujarati New Year greetings to him and his wife, Anjana, reciprocally wishing the Prime Minister good health for the year ahead.
Responding to the Prime Minister's message on social media platform X, Pitroda wrote: "Thank you very much for the greetings, Narendra Bhai. We reciprocate the same and wish you healthy years ahead. Sam and Anjana."
Earlier in the day, Prime Minister Modi had shared a video clip of Pitroda's interview with IANS on his official X handle and extended festive wishes to the veteran Congress leader.
"Happy Diwali and Nutan Varsh Abhinandan to you Sam Bhai and to Anjana Ben. Praying for a joyful and healthy year ahead. Jai Jagannath!" the Prime Minister posted.
The warm exchange on social media came hours after Pitroda, a close aide to Leader of the Opposition Rahul Gandhi and a vocal critic of the BJP-led government, described Modi as a "Gujarati friend" whom he deeply respects at a personal level.
"He is a Gujarati friend. I respect him as a person. My wife and I have met him. He has been very warm, kind, loving and caring at a personal level. Of course, he is a good orator and hard-working, and we get along well," Pitroda told IANS.
During the interview, Pitroda drew a sharp distinction between his political disagreements with the Prime Minister's ideology and their cordial personal equation, recalling that he had visited Modi's residence in Gujarat on several occasions.
"I may have issues with his views of the world. I may have issues with his ideology. But that's a separate issue; that's not against the individual. It's against the idea," Pitroda said, adding that he could disagree with Modi politically while still sitting down to share a meal and a laugh with him.
— IANS
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