Sam Pitroda has once again been appointed as chairman of the Indian Overseas Congress after he stepped down from the position in May following row over his racist remarks on India’s diversity
Congress on Wednesday re-appointment Sam Pitroda as the chairman of the Indian Overseas Congress with immediate effect. Pitroda resigned in May this year after he came under the scanner over his statements in which he advocated implementing inheritance tax law in India and referring to how people in South India “look like Africans and those in the West look like Arabs and those in the East look like Chinese.”
Reacting to the re-appointment of Pitroda, the BJP attacked the grand old party, saying, “The tormentor of the middle class is back.”
Taking to X, BJP IT cell head Amit Malviya wrote, “The tormentor of middle class is back…Congress hoodwinks India, brings back Sam Pitroda soon after elections.”
The tormentor of middle class is back… Congress hoodwinks India, brings back Sam Pitroda soon after elections. हुआ तो हुआ। pic.twitter.com/kiK3lFq1QN— Amit Malviya (@amitmalviya) June 26, 2024
“Sam Pitroda’s regressive racist comments targeting middle class, people from South and NorthEast, in particular, were not his personal opinion. He spoke for Rahul Gandhi. He was removed to control damage after his ideas invited severe backlash. Prime Minister Narendra Modi had predicted back in the day that Congress would reinstate him… And they have!” he added in another post.
Congress Clarifies
Senior Congress leader Jairam Ramesh clarified the party’s decision and blamed the BJP campaign for distorting his comments. Taking to X, the Congress leader said, “During the recent election campaign Sam Pitroda had made some statements and comments that were totally unacceptable to the Indian National Congress.”
“By mutual consent he stepped down as Chairman of Overseas Indian Congress. Subsequently he clarified the context in which statements were made and how they were later distorted by the Modi campaign. The Congress President has reappointed him on the assurance that he will not in future leave room for such controversies to arise,” he added.
During the recent election campaign Sam Pitroda had made some statements and comments that were totally unacceptable to the Indian National Congress. By mutual consent he stepped down as Chairman of Overseas Indian Congress. Subsequently he clarified the context in which…— Jairam Ramesh (@Jairam_Ramesh) June 26, 2024
Why Sam Pitroda Resigned?
Just few days ahead of the Lok Sabha elections, Sam Pitroda announced his decision tostep down as the Chairman of the Indian Overseas Congress over the controversy that erupted following his racist remark. The controversy intensified after Pitroda unleashed a racist rant on India’s ethnicity.
“We could hold together a country as diverse as India — where people on the East look like Chinese, people on the West look like Arabs, people on the North look like maybe Whites and people in South India look like Africans. It doesn’t matter. We are all brothers and sisters,” Pitroda had said.
Following Pitroda’s comments, Prime Minister Narendra Modi slammed Congress’ “divisive” mindset and said that the party wants to break the nation into pieces. “Congress has, time and again, proved that it is against India, and against people of India,” he said.
