New Delhi
Congress leader Sam Pitroda sparked controversy with remarks suggesting people from different regions in India resemble various ethnic groups on Wedensday. His comments about people from the east looking like the Chinese and those from the south looking like Africans were criticized as racist by the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), which accused Congress of divisive politics.
In response, Congress distanced itself from Pitroda’s comments, with general secretary Jairam Ramesh calling them unfortunate and unacceptable. He stated that the party completely dissociates itself from the remarks.
The BJP seized on Pitroda’s comments to criticize Congress, arguing that they exposed the opposition’s divisive agenda. BJP leaders Rajeev Chandrasekhar and Sudhanshu Trivedi claimed that Pitroda’s remarks reflect the mindset of Congress leaders like Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi, accusing the party of promoting division along racial and religious lines.
Union Minister Anurag Thakur tweeted, while for us, all Indians look like Indians, Congress insists on categorizing them based on foreign ethnic lines. He also accused Congress of trying to create ethnic discord, saying it was part of the party’s colonial mindset.
Pitroda clarified that his remarks were intended to celebrate India’s cultural diversity and emphasized the need for tolerance. He criticized the growing religious focus in politics, suggesting it challenges the secular values upon which India was founded. Despite his clarification, his comments fueled further tensions between Congress and the BJP, with the ruling party using the controversy to question Congress’s commitment to national unity.
