NEW DELHI: Sam Pitroda, the Indian Overseas Congress chairman, has once again found himself embroiled in controversy. Just as the Congress party was attempting to quell the uproar caused by his previous comments on “inheritance tax,” Pitroda has sparked a new firestorm with his latest remarks on India’s diversity.
While discussing the country’s diverse population, Pitroda stated that “people in the South look like Africans, and those in the East look like Chinese, and those in the East look like Arabs.” His comments have drawn sharp criticism and added to the list of controversial statements he has made in the past.
Pitroda, known for his outspoken nature, has a history of stirring up controversy with his public remarks. This latest incident is just one of many instances where his words have caused a stir and put the Congress party in a difficult position.
Here are times when he stirred up controversy in the past:
Ram Mandir: In the midst of eagerly awaiting the inauguration of the Ram Mandir in June 2023, Sam Pitroda ignited a contentious debate with his statement. He claimed that the construction of temples would not provide solutions to the critical challenges faced by India, specifically highlighting the urgent matters of joblessness, rising prices, educational concerns, and healthcare issues.
Inheritance Tax: Sam Pitroda sparked a debate when he discussed the concept of inheritance tax in the United States. He mentioned that these are topics that require further discussion and consideration. Pitroda explained, “In America, there is an inheritance tax. If one has 100 million USD worth of wealth and when he dies he can only transfer 45 per cent to his children, 55 per cent is grabbed by the government. That’s an interesting law. It says you in your generation, made wealth and you are leaving now, you must leave your wealth for the public, not all of it, half of it, which to me sounds fair.” His comments stirred up controversy as he only gave the example of the United States.
Pulwama attack: In the wake of the Pulwama attack in February 2019, Sam Pitroda sparked a heated discussion by casting doubt on the effectiveness of the Indian Air Force’s retaliatory airstrikes on Balakot. His comments, which questioned India’s military response, ignited a fierce debate about the country’s strategy for dealing with terrorist incidents.
“I don’t know much about attacks. It happens all the time. Attack happened in Mumbai, also. We could have then reacted and just sent our planes, but that is not the right approach. According to me, that’s not how you deal with the world,” Pitroda said.
1984 anti-Sikh riots: In response to a question about former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi’s alleged role in the 1984 anti-Sikh riots, Sam Pitroda, a prominent figure in Indian politics, sparked controversy in May 2019 with his dismissive remark, “so what.” His statement quickly ignited a firestorm of outrage. Pitroda said: “Ab kya hai ’84 ka? Aapne kya kiya 5 saal mein, uski baat kariye.
’84 mein hua to hua. You were voted to create jobs. You were voted to create 200 smart cities. Aapne wo bhi nahi kiya. Aapne kuch nahi kiya isliye aap yahan wahan gup lagate hain.” (What about 1984 (riots) now? Talk about what you have done in the last 5 years. What happened in ’84 happened. You were voted to create jobs. You were voted to create 200 smart cities. You haven’t done that either. You haven’t done anything, that’s why you are talking nonsense here and there.)
Constitution controversy: In early 2024, the BJP accused the Congress party of being ‘anti-Dalit’ following remarks made by Sam Pitroda, a senior Congress leader. Pitroda had shared an article written by Sudheendra Kulkarni, who was previously a close associate of LK Advani, a prominent BJP leader. The article claimed that Jawaharlal Nehru, India’s first Prime Minister, had a greater role in the drafting of the Indian Constitution compared to BR Ambedkar. Pitroda’s endorsement of this view led to the BJP’s criticism of the Congress party, labeling it as being against the interests of the Dalit community.
While discussing the country’s diverse population, Pitroda stated that “people in the South look like Africans, and those in the East look like Chinese, and those in the East look like Arabs.” His comments have drawn sharp criticism and added to the list of controversial statements he has made in the past.
Pitroda, known for his outspoken nature, has a history of stirring up controversy with his public remarks. This latest incident is just one of many instances where his words have caused a stir and put the Congress party in a difficult position.
Here are times when he stirred up controversy in the past:
Ram Mandir: In the midst of eagerly awaiting the inauguration of the Ram Mandir in June 2023, Sam Pitroda ignited a contentious debate with his statement. He claimed that the construction of temples would not provide solutions to the critical challenges faced by India, specifically highlighting the urgent matters of joblessness, rising prices, educational concerns, and healthcare issues.
Inheritance Tax: Sam Pitroda sparked a debate when he discussed the concept of inheritance tax in the United States. He mentioned that these are topics that require further discussion and consideration. Pitroda explained, “In America, there is an inheritance tax. If one has 100 million USD worth of wealth and when he dies he can only transfer 45 per cent to his children, 55 per cent is grabbed by the government. That’s an interesting law. It says you in your generation, made wealth and you are leaving now, you must leave your wealth for the public, not all of it, half of it, which to me sounds fair.” His comments stirred up controversy as he only gave the example of the United States.
Pulwama attack: In the wake of the Pulwama attack in February 2019, Sam Pitroda sparked a heated discussion by casting doubt on the effectiveness of the Indian Air Force’s retaliatory airstrikes on Balakot. His comments, which questioned India’s military response, ignited a fierce debate about the country’s strategy for dealing with terrorist incidents.
“I don’t know much about attacks. It happens all the time. Attack happened in Mumbai, also. We could have then reacted and just sent our planes, but that is not the right approach. According to me, that’s not how you deal with the world,” Pitroda said.
1984 anti-Sikh riots: In response to a question about former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi’s alleged role in the 1984 anti-Sikh riots, Sam Pitroda, a prominent figure in Indian politics, sparked controversy in May 2019 with his dismissive remark, “so what.” His statement quickly ignited a firestorm of outrage. Pitroda said: “Ab kya hai ’84 ka? Aapne kya kiya 5 saal mein, uski baat kariye.
’84 mein hua to hua. You were voted to create jobs. You were voted to create 200 smart cities. Aapne wo bhi nahi kiya. Aapne kuch nahi kiya isliye aap yahan wahan gup lagate hain.” (What about 1984 (riots) now? Talk about what you have done in the last 5 years. What happened in ’84 happened. You were voted to create jobs. You were voted to create 200 smart cities. You haven’t done that either. You haven’t done anything, that’s why you are talking nonsense here and there.)
Constitution controversy: In early 2024, the BJP accused the Congress party of being ‘anti-Dalit’ following remarks made by Sam Pitroda, a senior Congress leader. Pitroda had shared an article written by Sudheendra Kulkarni, who was previously a close associate of LK Advani, a prominent BJP leader. The article claimed that Jawaharlal Nehru, India’s first Prime Minister, had a greater role in the drafting of the Indian Constitution compared to BR Ambedkar. Pitroda’s endorsement of this view led to the BJP’s criticism of the Congress party, labeling it as being against the interests of the Dalit community.