Congress leader Sam Pitroda.
Credit: PTI File Photo
New Delhi: Sam Pitroda on Wednesday resigned as Indian Overseas Congress Chairman after his remarks to depict India's diversity triggered yet another controversy with Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the BJP labelling it “racist”, even as the Congress “completely dissociated” from it.
Before the dust settled over his remarks on 'inheritance tax' that the BJP used against Congress during the Lok Sabha campaign, he compared north-east people with Chinese, south with Africans, west with Arabs and north Indians with white while trying to describe India's diversity.
Congress “completely dissociated” itself from Pitroda's remarks for the second time in a month, with General Secretary (Communications) Jairam Ramesh saying the analogies drawn by him to illustrate India's diversity are “most unfortunate and unacceptable”.
Later in the evening Ramesh said Pitroda has decided to step down on his own accord and Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge has accepted his decision.
Throughout the day, BJP attacked the Congress with the Prime Minister talking about it in his rallies in Telangana where he asserted that people will not tolerate the attempt to insult them on the basis of their skin colour.
In an interaction with a newspaper, Pitroda said, “we are a shining example of democracy in the world. We could hold a country together as diverse as India where people in the East look like Chinese, people in the West look like Arab, people in North look like maybe white and people in South look like African. It doesn't matter, we are all brothers and sisters.”
He added, “we all respect different languages, different religions, customs and food. That's the India that I believe in, where everybody has a place and everybody compromises a little bit.”
During 2019 Lok Sabha polls too, Pitroda's comments on Balakot surgical strike and wealth tax had created trouble for Congress. His 'hua toh hua' on anti-Sikh riots also triggered a controversy.
During a rally in Telangana, Modi said that he can tolerate if someone abuses him but the “philosopher of Shehzada” (Rahul Gandhi) has given such a big abuse that has filled him with anger. “Will the potential of Indians be decided on the skin colour? Who gave this right to Shehzada? The people dancing with the Constitution on their head are insulting my countrymen on the basis of their skin colour.”
He said he was livid with the racial profiling while linking Congress' opposition to Droupadi Murmu's presidential bid to its mindset. He claimed that Congress saw her as an “African” because of her colour. Congress has been accusing the BJP of not allowing Murmu to attend the inauguration of the new Parliament building and Ram temple because she is a tribal.
“Will people's abilities in our country be decided by the colour of their skin? Who has allowed the Shehzada to play this game of skin?” he asked.
At a press conference in BJP HQ here, Union Minister Rajeev Chandrasekhar alleged that Pitroda, who has a long association with the Gandhi family, was explaining Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi's idea of India. When a senior leader speaks such language, it reveals the mindset of the leadership, which is grounded in divisiveness, racism and ignorance, he claimed.
Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman posted on ‘X’, “I am from South India. I look Indian! My team has enthusiastic members from northeast India. They look Indian! My colleagues from west India look Indian! But, for the racist who is the mentor of Rahul Gandhi we all look African, Chinese, Arab and the White! Thanks for revealing your mindset and your attitude. INDI alliance's shame!”
"Sam, Pity-roda on you!" Union minister Anurag Thakur said on X.
Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswas Sarma postd on 'X', "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. 'Hamare desh ke bare mein thoda to samajh lo!' (Please try to understand something about our country."
Seeking Congress' public apology, Manipur Chief Minister N Biren Singh said he condemned Pitroda's "racist comment against the people of the north-east" and "such a mockery on India's diversity is highly unacceptable". He added, "Congress has always tried to divide India with their Divide and Rule policy. But they must know that NE (north-east) has been a part of India and will always be."
Senior BJP MP Ravi Shankar Prasad said that the comparison drawn by Pitroda further illustrates that he has "no understanding" of the country or its culture. "It is clear that he is a failure. He doesn't understand the country. He is Rahul Gandhi's advisor. I can now understand why Rahul Gandhi speaks nonsense. This is the frustration of defeat. They neither understand India nor its heritage," he said.
Union Minister Kiren Rijiju said, “I am not surprised, but I am very angry. This is not a personal opinion of Sam Pitroda. Congress takes all ideas from him, so Congress should not come out and say this is his personal comment. Rahul Gandhi and Pitroda had foreign thinking, they wanted to end our culture.”