Congress spokesperson Shama Mohamed has deleted her social media post calling Indian cricket team captain Rohit Sharma “fat” and all subsequent posts in which she defended her remarks. The move comes after the Congress high command stepped in following severe backlash from cricket fans and political opponents, leaving the party in damage control mode.
Mohamed’s controversial post surfaced during India’s match against New Zealand, where she criticized Sharma’s fitness and leadership. “Rohit Sharma is fat for a sportsman! Need to lose weight! And of course the most unimpressive Captain India has ever had,” she wrote on X (formerly Twitter). The remark triggered an uproar, with fans citing statistics to highlight Sharma’s contributions and leadership. The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) also seized the opportunity to attack the Congress, calling the comment reflective of the party’s “Emergency mindset.”
In an attempt to clarify, Mohamed later claimed her remark was “generic” and questioned why people in a democracy could not express their opinions freely. However, the explanation failed to contain the controversy, compelling the Congress to distance itself from her comments. Senior Congress leader Pawan Khera stated that Mohamed’s views were personal and did not reflect the party’s stance.
“She has been asked to delete the concerned social media posts from X and has been advised to exercise greater caution in the future. The Indian National Congress holds the contributions of sporting icons in the highest regard and does not endorse any statements that undermine their legacy,” Khera said.
Despite taking down the post and its subsequent defenses, Mohamed has not issued an apology. Meanwhile, BJP spokesperson Pradeep Bhandari criticized her remarks, calling them “shameful” and an insult to every Indian cricket supporter. “Do they expect Rahul Gandhi to now play cricket after failing in Indian politics?” he questioned in a social media post.
The controversy escalated further when Mohamed engaged in an exchange with a Pakistan-based sports journalist, who defended Sharma by calling him a “mighty effective and world-class performer.” Mohamed responded dismissively, arguing that Sharma did not compare to Indian cricket legends like Sourav Ganguly, Sachin Tendulkar, Rahul Dravid, MS Dhoni, Virat Kohli, and Kapil Dev. “He is a mediocre captain as well as a mediocre player who got lucky to be the Captain of India,” she wrote.
With the Congress working to contain the fallout, the episode underscores the potential perils of unguarded social media remarks, especially in a country where cricket is deeply intertwined with national sentiment.
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