In the midst of ongoing electoral tensions, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has issued a scathing rebuke directed at Sam Pitroda, the head of the Indian Overseas Congress, over a controversial racist analogy made by Pitroda. The dust from Pitroda’s ‘inheretence tax’ remark had not settled yet and the latter made the headlines once again. This time, for a racist remark that has been condemned by several members of the Bharatiya Janata Party as well as Prime Minister Narendra Modi himself.
Pitroda, often regarded as a confidant of Rahul Gandhi, faced severe backlash after suggesting that people from India’s eastern regions resembled Chinese, while those from the southern parts bore resemblance to Africans.
#WATCH | Addressing a public gathering in Warangal, Telangana, PM Modi says “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. I got… pic.twitter.com/nPJLQ6DQ3Z
— ANI (@ANI) May 8, 2024
“We could hold together a country as diverse as India — where people on the East look like Chinese, people on the West look like Arabs, people on the North look like maybe Whites and people in South India look like Africans. It doesn’t matter. We are all brothers and sisters,” said Pitroda, while addressing The Statesman. Pitroda’s statement attempted to contextualize his remarks within India’s multicultural fabric, asserting that despite physical differences, Indians remained bound by fraternity.
While, His remarks drew swift condemnation, particularly from BJP-affiliated leaders, with Chief Ministers from BJP-governed states in the Northeast, such as Assam and Manipur, leading the charge for an apology from Pitroda and the Congress party.
Also read: ‘People In East Look Like Chinese, South Indians Like Africans’: Sam Pitroda
Prime Minister Narendra Modi, while addressing a rally in Telangana, took the opportunity to criticise both Congress members, Rahul Gandhi and Pitroda, equating Pitroda to a ‘third umpire’ whose remarks insulted the integrity of India. Modi vehemently opposed the notion of individuals being judged by their skin color, rallying against what he perceived as an affront to the nation’s unity.
“One Shehjade uncle lives in America. When there is any confusion, he takes opinion with his uncle. His uncle said those whose skin is black color are African. He called our Indian people African. Now I understand why they keep insulting our president Droupdi Murmu, just because her skin colour is black they thought she is African and they should defeat her. Shehjade’s uncle Sam Pitroda is his 3rd Umpire,” Modi said during his address at the rally in Telangana’s Warrangal.
The Prime Minister expressed his angst during his speech in the rally and stated that the citizens of the country will not insulted due to their skin color. He expressed that Pitroda’s comment will not be tolerated by the country, “I am very angry today , if someone abuse me, I can tolerate it but today, Shehjade’s philosopher had crossed limit. Will skin color now decide our ability? They are insulting people of India on basis of skin color. I will not tolerate insult of my fellow Indians,” he added.”
In response to the mounting criticism, the Congress party distanced itself from Pitroda’s comments, labeling them as “unfortunate and unacceptable.” Senior Congress leader Jairam Ramesh emphasized the party’s commitment to India’s diversity while disavowing Pitroda’s analogies.
The BJP seized upon Pitroda’s remarks to launch scathing attacks on the Congress, accusing it of harboring a divisive agenda. Assam’s Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma urged Pitroda to grasp the essence of India’s unity despite its diverse appearances.
Manipur’s Chief Minister N Biren Singh, expressing indignation, attributed the Congress to fostering a clandestine agenda aimed at religious and regional polarization. Singh underscored the party’s alleged involvement in exacerbating the strife in Manipur, where violence had claimed numerous lives and displaced thousands in recent times.
Similarly, Manipur’s CM N Biren Singh demanded an apology, denouncing Pitroda’s comments as baseless and divisive.
Union Minister Kiren Rijiju, representing Arunachal Pradesh, expressed anger over Pitroda’s remarks, attributing them to the Congress’s purported desire to erode India’s cultural identity.
BJP spokesperson CR Kesavan Sam likened Pitroda to the Machiavellian character Shakuni, alleging that his comments epitomized the Congress’s perilous ideology. The BJP further condemned the Congress for what it deemed a derogatory portrayal of Indians.
The furor over Pitroda’s remarks underscores the deep-seated fault lines within Indian politics, with the BJP leveraging the incident to castigate its rival and bolster its narrative of national unity. As the electoral landscape continues to evolve, Pitroda’s comments serve as a stark reminder of the contentious nature of identity politics in India.
Also read:PM Modi declares Congress-INDI Alliance split after third phase of General Elections
