New Delhi: Amidst a furor over his controversial remarks, Sam Pitroda announced his resignation as the Chairman of the Indian Overseas Congress on Wednesday, stating it was his own decision. Party President Mallikarjun Kharge accepted his resignation, confirmed Congress General Secretary Jairam Ramesh.
“Mr. Sam Pitroda has decided to step down as Chairman of the Indian Overseas Congress of his own accord. The Congress President has accepted his decision,” stated Ramesh in a post on X (formerly known as Twitter).
Pitroda’s resignation follows his recent comments in an interview with The Statesman, where he highlighted India’s diversity, stating, “people in the East look Chinese, people on West look like Arab, people on North like, maybe, White, and people in the South look like African.”
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The remarks sparked widespread criticism, with Prime Minister Narendra Modi leading the BJP’s condemnation.
In response, the Congress swiftly distanced itself from Pitroda’s comments. “The analogies drawn by Mr. Sam Pitroda in a podcast to illustrate India’s diversity are most unfortunate and unacceptable. The Indian National Congress completely dissociates itself from these analogies,” declared party leader Jairam Ramesh.
This isn’t the first time Pitroda has courted controversy. Last month, he stirred debate by suggesting the implementation of an inheritance tax in India, drawing further ire from Prime Minister Modi, who criticized the Congress at a rally in Chhattisgarh, accusing them of eyeing the wealth of Indian citizens.
