Sam Pitroda-Led Overseas Branch Of Congress Now Opens A Branch In Turkey

India’s main opposition party, the Indian National Congress (INC) opened an overseas office in Turkey - a nation which opposed India and supported Pakistan in the recently concluded annual United Nations Security Council meeting.

According to a statement released by the party, the INC’s Indian Overseas Congress (IOC) plans to develop better bilateral relationship with Turkey in the field of politics, culture, trade, tourism, education and health, reports Anadolu Agency.

IOC’s Istanbul-based office will be headed by Mohammad Yusuf Khan and plans to help build IOC organization & institution in Turkey, the statement said.

"In this capacity you [Khan] will identify and work with qualified, capable, committed and concerned people to lead our various initiatives," the statement added.

The head of IOC is long time Congress party advisor Sam Pitroda who created a controversy during the general elections when he said tried to underplay the 1984 anti-Sikh riots, by saying, “happened in 1984, so what.”

The Congress got engulfed in a controversy on 10 October after a delegation of its overseas chapter in the UK met British Labour Party leader Jeremy Corbyn, a vocal India critic, who tweeted, "human rights situation in Kashmir" was discussed and there must be an "end to the cycle of violence and fear"

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's decision to adopt an anti-India and pro-Pakistan stance over Kashmir Valley and the abrogation of Article 370, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had also called off his trip to Turkey.