Congress Re-Appoints Sam Pitroda as Chairman of Indian Overseas Congress Amidst Controversy

Delhi, June 26: The Congress party has re-appointed Sam Pitroda as the chairman of the Indian Overseas Congress, only a month after he resigned following controversial remarks on race and ethnicity. Pitroda’s comments had earlier prompted the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) to label the Congress party as “racist” during the Lok Sabha election campaign.

The controversy arose during a podcast where Pitroda described the physical appearances of Indians using ethnic and racial identities. He stated, “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 as diverse as India together. People in the east look like the Chinese, people in the west look like the Arabs, people in the north look like, maybe, white and people in the south look like Africa.” He added, “It does not matter. All of us are brothers and sisters. We respect different languages, different religions, different customs, different food.”

These remarks were met with strong condemnation from the BJP, who accused Pitroda and the Congress party of racism. Prime Minister Narendra Modi criticized the Congress and Pitroda, referring to Rahul Gandhi as “shehzada” (prince) and Pitroda as his “guru” (mentor). Modi stated, “The shehzada of Congress set out with ‘Mohabbat ki Dukaan’ but the board of the shop is no longer visible and he is busy dividing the society… supporters of ‘tukde tukde gang’ are talking of dividing the country into pieces. His advisor, sitting in America, says that the people of South India are Africans. He sees the people of Telangana as Africans… The Congress decides who is Indian and who is African based on the color of our skin.”

Pitroda, a close associate of the Gandhi family and a key figure during the Rajiv Gandhi era, has been a controversial figure. In April, he stirred further controversy by advocating for an inheritance tax law in India. The Congress party distanced itself from his comments, asserting that his views do not always reflect the party’s position. The BJP capitalized on his remarks to target the Congress in political rallies across the country during the Lok Sabha campaign.

The Congress party’s decision to reinstate Pitroda despite the backlash raises questions about their commitment to addressing issues of race and ethnicity sensitively. Critics argue that this move reflects poorly on the party’s ability to manage internal controversies and maintain a consistent and inclusive stance.

Pitroda’s reappointment signals the Congress party’s continued reliance on his influence within the Indian diaspora, but it also opens the party to further criticism and scrutiny. The BJP’s effective use of Pitroda’s remarks in their political strategy has already proven damaging, and this latest development may exacerbate the Congress party’s challenges in rebuilding their image and credibility.