Sam Pitroda quits post after Congress, BJP leaders slam him for ‘racist’ remarks

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Sam Pitroda, the Congress overseas unit chief, resigned from his position on Wednesday evening following the controversy sparked by his recent remarks. The announcement was made through a concise statement on X by the party’s communications-in-charge, Jairam Ramesh.

“Mr. Sam Pitroda has chosen to step down as Chairman of the Indian Overseas Congress on his own accord. The Congress President has accepted his decision,” the post stated.

Senior Congress leader Sam Pitroda ignited fresh controversy with remarks describing India’s diversity in a manner widely criticised as inappropriate and unacceptable.

In an exclusive interview with The Statesman, Sam Pitroda characterised India as a country where people from different regions resemble various ethnicities, stating, “people on East look like Chinese, people on West look like Arab, people on North look like maybe White and people in South look like Africa.”

Also Read: ‘People from East look like Chinese’: Remarks by Sam Pitroda draw ire from both Congress, BJP

This statement drew swift condemnation from within his own party, with senior Congress leader Jairam Ramesh emphasising that the party completely disassociates itself from Pitroda’s analogies about India’s diversity, deeming them “extremely wrong and unacceptable.”

The backlash extended beyond the Congress, with senior BJP leaders, including Manipur Chief Minister N Biren Singh and Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, expressing criticism on social media.

Singh stated, “Sam bhai, I am from the Northeast, and I look like an Indian. We are a diverse country – we may look different, but we are all one.”

Similarly, actor-politician Kangana Ranaut, a BJP candidate for Lok Sabha from Mandi in Himachal Pradesh, condemned Pitroda’s comments as “racist” and “divisive,” while accusing the Congress of pursuing a divide-and-rule ideology.

Other BJP leaders echoed these sentiments, with Shehzad Poonawalla describing the remarks by Sam Pitroda as “shocking, despicable, and disgusting,” and linking them to what he described as the broader divisive ideology of Rahul Gandhi, referring to Sam Pitroda as Gandhi’s mentor.

This latest controversy involving Sam Pitroda follows earlier disputes between the Congress and BJP, notably triggered by remarks regarding inheritance tax and broader economic policies. The political atmosphere remains charged as both parties engage in intense exchanges leading up to the upcoming elections.