News Brief
PM Modi's Prediction Comes True: BJP Reacts To Congress Reinstating Sam Pitroda Month After Resignation Over Controversial Remarks
Sam Pitroda
After stepping down as Indian Overseas Congress chairman in May over his controversial remarks, Sam Pitroda has been reappointed to the post.
Sam Pitroda, a close confidant of the Rahul Gandhi, resigned from the post on 8 May after making a string of controversial remarks that gave the BJP ammunition to attack the Congress.
Congress' communications chief Jairam Ramesh said “during the recent election campaign Sam Pitroda had made some statements and comments that were totally unacceptable to the Indian National Congress".
“By mutual consent he stepped down as Chairman of Overseas Indian Congress. Subsequently he clarified the context in which statements were made and how they were later distorted by the Modi campaign. The Congress President has reappointed him on the assurance that he will not in future leave room for such controversies to arise,” said Ramesh on X.
Meanwhile, the BJP has attacked Congress for reinstating Pitroda, accusing the party of hypocrisy.
BJP said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi had foreseen that the Congress would reinstate Sam Pitroda after the elections.
"As PM Modi anticipated, the Congress' sacking of Sam Pitroda was merely an election gimmick. He has now been reinstated as Chairman of the Indian Overseas Congress, exposing the hypocrisy of the Congress party and its leaders," the BJP said on X.
"Sam Pitroda’s regressive racist comments targeting middle class, people from South and NorthEast, in particular, were not his personal opinion. He spoke for Rahul Gandhi. He was removed to control damage after his ideas invited severe backlash. Prime Minister Narendra Modi had predicted back in the day that Congress would reinstate him… And they have!" BJP IT cell chief Amit Malviya said.
In an interview with NDTV during the Lok Sabha elections in May, PM Modi had said, "I sometimes think the party (the Congress), in a well-planned way, does this. I don't think they (the members) do this on their own. Then they are kept out of the party for a few days. Then they come back in the mainstream again".
"This is what they did with their guru in America. He has resigned. Now he will be brought back again after a while... It is their well-considered strategy to create confusion in the country, change the atmosphere, create new issues, compel their opponents to react on these issues," PM Modi had said.
In an interview in early May, Pitroda had described India as a "... diverse country... where people on East look like the Chinese, people on West look like Arabs, people in the North look like maybe White and people in South look like Africans."
It had triggered allegations of racism and colonial mindset.
In April, Pitroda had made a remark on inheritance tax in the US that had drawn a fierce attack from the BJP.
Support Swarajya's 50 Ground Reports Project & Sponsor A Story
Every general election Swarajya does a 50 ground reports project.
Aimed only at serious readers and those who appreciate the nuances of political undercurrents, the project provides a sense of India's electoral landscape. As you know, these reports are produced after considerable investment of travel, time and effort on the ground.
This time too we've kicked off the project in style and have covered over 30 constituencies already. If you're someone who appreciates such work and have enjoyed our coverage please consider sponsoring a ground report for just Rs 2999 to Rs 19,999 - it goes a long way in helping us produce more quality reportage.
You can also back this project by becoming a subscriber for as little as Rs 999 - so do click on this links and choose a plan that suits you and back us.
Click below to contribute.
Latest
