Sam Pitroda steps down as Indian Overseas Congress chairman after row over ethnicity remarks
Pitroda’s resignation comes amid a barrage of condemnation from the ruling BJP over his remarks.
The Opposition Congress was still struggling to manage the controversy that erupted over his remarks advocating inheritance tax, Indian Overseas Congress Chairman Sam Pitroda has triggered a fresh controversy with his comments on East and South Indians.
Reflecting on India’s democracy, Pitroda, in an exclusive interview with The Statesman, had said, “We have survived 75 years in a very happy environment where people could live together, leaving aside a few fights here and there. We could hold a country together as diverse as India, where people on the east look like Chinese, people on the West look like Arab, people on the North look like white and maybe people on the South look like Africans.”
Terming Pitroda’s remarks “racist”, the BJP said that these are Rahul Gandhi’s words and that the “Mohabbat ki Dukan” of the Congress party has “Nafrat ka Saman”.
“It is the words and thinking of Rahul Gandhi only because these days Rahul is also playing the politics of divide and rule to such an extent that first they divide on caste and language lines and now they are doing Indians Vs Indians. To make comments like Indians are like Chinese. Isn’t this a racist comment? Isn’t this insulting? Indians are looking like Africans. Isn’t this comment on the entire South people? By making these comments, it shows that Congress’ “Mohabbat ki dukaan” actually has “Nafrat ka saaman”,” BJP Spokesperson Shehzad Poonawalla said.
He further demanded an explanation from the Congress and Pitroda be sacked from the party.
“Unless Congress gives a complete explanation and sacks Sam Pitroda, this should be taken as the statement of the Congress,” Poonawalla said.
Karnataka BJP leader and sitting MP Tejasvi Surya said that Pitroda’s remarks are no different from what (Winston)Churchill had said about Indians.
“Congress has always been the OG-breaking India party. This commentary is no different from what Churchill had said about us. No wonder RG is the way he is after being mentored by him!” Surya said.
Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma also slammed the Congress leader for his remarks and said that he hails from northeast but still looks like an Indian.
“Sam bhai, I am from the North East and I look like an Indian. We are a diverse country – we may look different but we are all one. Understand a little about our country!” Sarma wrote on ‘X’.
Union Minister Rajeev Chandrashekhar said that this is how Rahul Gandhi has been taught to divide the country by his tutor and mentor.
“This is how Rahul Gandhi has been taught to divide up and see India by his tutor and mentor -Sam Pitroda,” the minister said.
Watch Sam Pitroda’s full interview here
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