New Delhi: Sam Pitroda, the Chairman of Indian Overseas Congress, tendered his resignation from his post on Wednesday evening amidst a political storm triggered by his controversial remarks. His resignation came after facing severe backlash for making an analogy regarding India’s diversity, which drew widespread criticism.
Congress President, Mallikarjun Kharge, accepted Pitroda’s resignation, confirming the development. Jairam Ramesh, the party’s general secretary in-charge of communications, affirmed that Pitroda had voluntarily opted to step down from his position.
The controversy erupted when Pitroda made remarks during a podcast, where he used ethnic and racial identities such as Chinese, Arabs, Whites, and Africans to illustrate the diverse physical appearances of Indians from different regions. His comments sparked outrage, particularly amid the ongoing Lok Sabha elections.
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) condemned Pitroda’s statements, labeling them as “racist” and asserting that such derogatory remarks aimed at people’s skin color would not be tolerated.
In response to the uproar, the Congress party distanced itself from Pitroda’s remarks, denouncing them as “unfortunate” and “unacceptable.” Jairam Ramesh issued a statement on behalf of the party, explicitly dissociating the Indian National Congress from Pitroda’s analogies.