Congress distances itself from Pitroda's 'racist' remark
The Congress on Wednesday officially distanced itself from the controversial remarks made by Indian Overseas Congress Chairman Sam Pitroda on India's diversity. In an interview with The Statesman, Pitroda said people in the South "look like Africans and those in the East look like Arabs and those in the East look like Chinese." Senior Congress leader Jairam Ramesh responded to these remarks, labeling them as "most unfortunate and unacceptable."
BJP labels Pitroda's remarks as 'racist'
In a statement on X, Ramesh said, "The analogies drawn by Mr. Sam Pitroda in a podcast to illustrate India's diversity are most unfortunate and unacceptable. The Indian National Congress completely dissociates itself from these analogies." This came after the Bharatiya Janata Party earlier in the day attacked the Congress and Pitroda over his "racist and divisive" remarks. Later, Prime Minister Narendra Modi also hit out at the party over Pitroda's comments at a poll rally in Warangal, Telangana.
PM questions Rahul over Pitroda's remark
While addressing the rally, PM Modi demanded answers from Congress leader Rahul Gandhi. "Shehzade[Gandhi]...you will have to answer. My country will not tolerate the disrespect of my countrymen on the basis of their skin colour," he said. PM Modi also alleged that the Congress was against President Droupadi Murmu because of her skin color. "Why was Congress trying so hard to defeat her? Today I got to know the reason," he said.
PM calls Pitroda American uncle
Sharpening his attack, PM Modi referred to Pitroda as American uncle. "I got to know that there is an uncle in America who is the philosophical guide of 'Shehzada' and just like the third umpire in cricket, this 'Shehzada' takes advice from the third umpire," he said. "This philosophical uncle said that those who have black skin are from Africa. This means that you are abusing several people of the country on the basis of their skin colour," he added.
Here's what Pitroda had said
In his statement to the newspaper, Pitroda said, "We have survived 75 years in a very happy environment where people could live together, leaving aside a few fights here and there." "We could hold a country together as diverse as India, where people on the east look like Chinese, people on the West look like Arab, people on the North look like white and maybe people on the South look like Africans," he added.
Pitroda triggers row with his wealth redistribution remark
Last month, Pitroda had courted another controversy when he talked about the need for a policy toward wealth redistribution in an interview with ANI. "In America, there is an inheritance tax. If one has $100 million...when he dies he can only transfer probably 45% to his children, 55% is grabbed by the government." "In India, you don't have that. If somebody is worth 10 billion and he dies, his children get 10 billion and the public gets nothing," he added.
Row over Pitroda's comments explained
Pitroda's remarks came in response to PM Modi's speech that the Congress manifesto promises to redistribute wealth among "infiltrators" and "those with more children" if it comes to power. To be sure, the Congress manifesto calls for a national socioeconomic and caste census to lay the groundwork for affirmative action. There is no mention of a wealth redistribution plan.
