Since the controversy, Sam Pitroda reportedly has resigned as the Chairman of Indian Overseas Congress.
Amid national controversy over a remark by senior Congress leader Sam Pitroda on people from east looking like “Chinese”, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Sikkim President, DR Thapa has condemned the statement and said that such comments were spreading “harmful stereotypes” and showed “lack of understanding” of Indian diversity.
Controversy started when Senior Congress leader and (now former) Chairman of the Indian Overseas Congress in an exclusive interview with The Statesman on May 2, while describing India as a diverse country, had made an analogy saying that, “..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”.
He was answering to the question asked on Congress’s constant reiteration of it’s bid on saving Indian democracy and the Constitution during 2024 General Elections by ousting the ruling BJP. Pitroda said that the country was divided on two hard sides. One that believed in the “Hindu Nation” with their leader as “Savarkar” and said were represented by “a group of people who killed Mahatma Gandhi”.
“..that view centres around Ram Temple, God, History, Heritage you know Bhagwan (God), Hanuman, Bajrang Dal and all kinds of issues”, said Pitroda.
He said that the other side, “fought from British Raj not for Hindu Rashtra, but for a secular nation” and said that “India was a shining example of democracy”.
“We could hold country together as diverse as India, where people on East look like Chinese, people on West look like Arab, people on North look like you know maybe White and people in South look like Africa”, he had stated that sparked a controversy.
“It doesn’t matter, we are all brothers and sisters. We all respect different language, we all respect different religion, different look, different custom, different food”, he added.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi lashed out against Congress saying that the remark “angered him”.
“Tell me, should anyone in my country decide someone’s ability based on the colour of their skin”, asked PM Modi in an election rally.
He said that such remarks insulted the Indian people.
Congress was quick on distancing itself from that statement from it’s leader. “The analogies drawn by Mr. Sam Pitroda in a podcast to illustrate India’s diversity are most unfortunate and unacceptable”, wrote Jairam Ramesh, General Secretary in-charge of Communications INC, in X (formerly Twitter).
“The Indian National Congress completely dissociates itself from these analogies”, he added.
“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”, wrote Assam CM Himanta Biswa Sharma in X (formerly Twitter)
“His comment spreads harmful stereotypes and shows a lack of understanding of our diversity. We won’t tolerate anyone insulting our people over their skin colour to demotivate us and discriminate against us anymore”, wrote BJP-Sikkim President, DR Thapa in his statement.
“It’s time for Mr. Pitroda to learn that diversity is our strength, not a punchline. We should celebrate everyone’s differences and treat each other with respect, instead of judging based on looks”, added Thapa.
Since the controversy, Sam Pitroda reportedly has resigned as the Chairman of Indian Overseas Congress.
