Congress Distances Itself From Sam Pitroda 'Racist' Remarks, Calls It Unacceptable

New Delhi: Chairman of Indian Overseas Congress Sam Pitroda has again stoked controversy as he said that people of different regions of the country look different from each other, while some resembling with that of Africans and others with Chinese. The Congress party has now distanced itself from Sam Pitroda's remarks.

Pitroda, in an interview with 'The Statesman', said that people from eastern region region of the country look like Chinese, while those from down south resemble Africans. He was speaking on the diversity of India. Reacting to the same, Congress General Secretary Jairam Ramesh said that the analogies drawn by Pitroda were unacceptable. Jairam Ramesh further added that the Indian National Congress completely ‘dissociates’ itself from the remarks of Sam Pitroda. 

“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,” said Jairam Ramesh in a post on X. 

What Sam Pitroda Said? 

While reflecting upon the democracy in India said, "We have survived 75 years in a very happy environment where people could live together, leaving aside few fights here and there. We could hold a country together as diverse as India, where people on east look like Chinese, people on West look like Arab, people on North look like white and maybe people on South look like Africans."

He further added that the people of India respect different languages, religion, food and customs which varies from region to region. "That's the India that I believe in, where everybody has a place and everybody compromises little bit," he said.

BJP Hits Back 

Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched a scathing attack on Congress over Pitroda's remark. He asserted that the remarks of Sam Pitroda make it clear that Congress discriminates on the basis of skin colour.  "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. 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..." said PM Modi while addressing a poll rally in Warangal. 

“I was thinking a lot that Droupadi Murmu who has a very good reputation and is the daughter of Adiwasi family, then why is Congress trying so hard to defeat her but today I got to know the reason,” he said askiong Rahul Gandhi to respond to the same. “Shehzade aapko jawaab dena padega'. My country will not tolerate the disrespect of my countrymen on the basis of their skin colour and Modi will never tolerate this,” he said.