NEW DELHI: Congress leader Sam Pitroda on Wednesday courted another controversy as he compared Indians from different parts of the nation to Chinese, Arabs, Whites and Africans while talking about diversity and democracy in India during an interview.
“We are a shining example of democracy in the world…we could hold country together as diverse as India where people in East look like Chinese, people in West look like Arab, people in North look like maybe white and people in South look like Africa.Doesn’t matter, we are all brothers and sisters,” said the chairman of the Indian Overseas Congress.
Reacting to the racist remark of Sam Pitroda, Assam chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said: “I am from North East and I look like an Indian.”
The tweet posted by Assam chief minister read: “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! (Have some understanding about our country).”
Kangana Ranaut, BJP’s Lok Sabha candidate from Himachal Pradesh’s Mandi, also reacted sharply to Pitroda’s remark, calling it a “racists and divisive jibes for Indians”.
“Sam Pitroda is Rahul Gandhi’s mentor. Listen to his racist & divisive jibes for Indians. Their whole ideology is about divide & rule. It’s sickening to call fellow Indians Chinese and African. Shame on Congress!” Kangana wrote on X.
This is not the first time the Congress leader has triggered a political firestorm with his remarks.
Pitroda had earlier expressed his support for the party’s stance on ‘resource redistribution’, drawing inspiration from the American system.
He explained that in the United States, when a wealthy individual passes away, only a portion of their assets can be transferred to their children, while the government claims a significant share. Pitroda suggested that adopting a similar approach in India would be fair and beneficial for the public.
Later, the Congress party clarified its stance saying that sensationalising these remarks are attempts at diverting attention from Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s “malicious” poll campaign.
Pitroda also clarified that he had only mentioned the US inheritance tax as an example during a normal conversation on TV. He emphasised that his comments had nothing to do with the policy of any party, including the Congress.
“We are a shining example of democracy in the world…we could hold country together as diverse as India where people in East look like Chinese, people in West look like Arab, people in North look like maybe white and people in South look like Africa.Doesn’t matter, we are all brothers and sisters,” said the chairman of the Indian Overseas Congress.
Reacting to the racist remark of Sam Pitroda, Assam chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said: “I am from North East and I look like an Indian.”
The tweet posted by Assam chief minister read: “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! (Have some understanding about our country).”
Kangana Ranaut, BJP’s Lok Sabha candidate from Himachal Pradesh’s Mandi, also reacted sharply to Pitroda’s remark, calling it a “racists and divisive jibes for Indians”.
“Sam Pitroda is Rahul Gandhi’s mentor. Listen to his racist & divisive jibes for Indians. Their whole ideology is about divide & rule. It’s sickening to call fellow Indians Chinese and African. Shame on Congress!” Kangana wrote on X.
This is not the first time the Congress leader has triggered a political firestorm with his remarks.
Pitroda had earlier expressed his support for the party’s stance on ‘resource redistribution’, drawing inspiration from the American system.
He explained that in the United States, when a wealthy individual passes away, only a portion of their assets can be transferred to their children, while the government claims a significant share. Pitroda suggested that adopting a similar approach in India would be fair and beneficial for the public.
Later, the Congress party clarified its stance saying that sensationalising these remarks are attempts at diverting attention from Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s “malicious” poll campaign.
Pitroda also clarified that he had only mentioned the US inheritance tax as an example during a normal conversation on TV. He emphasised that his comments had nothing to do with the policy of any party, including the Congress.