Sam Pitroda: Yesterday evening, amidst a significant political uproar surrounding his contentious remarks, Sam Pitroda, a seasoned Congressman and head of the party’s overseas unit, resigned from his position. Amidst the extensive seven-phase election, his remarks sparked controversy, with leaders of the BJP, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi, condemning them as racist and accusing the Congress of fostering division.
Jairam Ramesh, the party’s communications in-charge, made the revelation regarding Mr. Pitroda in a terse post on X.
The post stated, that It is with voluntary resignation that Mr. Sam Pitroda leaves his role as Chairman of the Indian Overseas Congress. The decision has been accepted by the Congress President.”
In an exclusive interview with The Statesman, Mr. Pitroda portrayed India as a land of diversity, noting that in the east, people resemble the Chinese, in the west, they bear resemblance to Arabs, in the north, there’s a possibility of white features, and in the south, there’s a likeness to Africans.
The Congress, already grappling with the aftermath of Mr. Pitroda’s previous comment on inheritance tax, suddenly found itself embroiled in a new controversy, presenting a challenge to its allies like MK Stalin‘s DMK. Swiftly, the party moved to distance itself from Mr. Pitroda’s latest remark.
The analogies made by Mr. Sam Pitroda in a podcast to depict India’s diversity are deeply regrettable and entirely unacceptable. The Indian National Congress unequivocally disassociates itself from these analogies, stated a post from the party’s communications in-charge, Jairam Ramesh.
Sam Pitroda
Mr. Pitroda’s untimely remarks have presented a challenge for the Congress during the election period. Just last month, he commented on inheritance tax in the United States, citing it as an example of “new policies” aimed at curbing the concentration of wealth, advocating for discussion and debate on the matter. He further emphasized that Congress consistently supports individuals at the lower end of the economic spectrum.
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The BJP had launched a strong onslaught on it. PM Modi had said that the Congress would not even save women’s mangalsutras and would instead divide up people’s personal wealth among “infiltrators” if elected.