NEW DELHI: Controversial telecom entrepreneur Sam Pitroda on Wednesday quit as Overseas Congress chief after his remarks on the appearance of Indians raised a political storm midway into the 2024 election cycle with PM Narendra Modi terming the views “disgusting” and the opposition party “completely distancing itself from him”.
“Sam Pitroda has decided to step down as chairman of the Indian Overseas Congress of his own accord. The Congress president has accepted it,” Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh said this evening in a move that has several party leaders heaving a sigh of relief.
Only a few days ago, Pitroda’s defence of the inheritance tax some US states levy on assets left behind by the deceased kicked up a row with PM Modi telling the electorate that the Congress planned to grab their ancestral properties.
In a fresh controversy, US-based Pitroda, 82, commenting on the diversity of India, said “people in the East of India looked like Chinese, those in the West looked like Arabs, people in the South looked like Africans and those in the North appeared White”.
Modi seized the remarks to fire a fresh salvo at the Congress. Taking a cue from him, Union ministers, BJP leaders and chief ministers too lashed out at the opposition party. Manipur CM N Biren Singh even threatened to sue the US-based investor, who has often lent political fodder to the BJP.
“I am absolutely disgusted by the remarks of the senior Congress leader, who is the friend, philosopher and guide of the Congress’ Crown Prince. His remarks are racist and in a very poor taste,” the PM said at rallies in Telangana’s Karimnagar and Warangal, asking Rahul Gandhi to come clean.
“I am furious today. I can condone all insults heaped at me, but not at the people of my country. Will the merit of Indians be determined by the colour of their skin? These people who swear by the Constitution are insulting my people on the basis of their appearance. This remark is extremely racist and petty. The Congress’ Prince will have to answer. India and Modi will not tolerate this,” said the PM.
Earlier today, the Congress distanced itself from Pitroda’s comments even as it continued to firefight the inheritance tax issue. “The analogies drawn by Sam Pitroda in a podcast to illustrate India’s diversity are most unfortunate and unacceptable. The Congress completely dissociates itself from these analogies,” Ramesh said.
Hours later Pitroda quit his Congress post, first such drastic move in his nearly 40-decade-old association with the party and its top leaders.
Born in Odisha to Gujarati parents, Pitroda, known to stoke controversies, studied in Gujarat before leaving for the US.