'Entitled To Make Mistakes': Sam Pitroda Says Jairam Ramesh's 'Assurance' Post Is Not Congress' View

Sam Pitroda has returned to his role as the Congress's overseas unit chief after stepping down in May due to controversial remarks.

However, his reinstatement comes with a notable condition.

The party's communication head, Jairam Ramesh, stated that Pitroda had "given an assurance" that he would avoid controversies in future.

In an interview with NDTV, Pitroda, a close confidante of Gandhi family, responded to Jairam Ramesh's statement, saying that this view was of Ramesh’s and not the official stance of the Congress party.

"The Congress is not saying that. Jairam is saying that," he said.

"What Jairam says is Jairam's view, it is not necessarily the party's view. It is okay for Jairam to say that and I respect it. I have to do what I have to do. In the process, I am entitled to make mistakes," he said.

Pitroda’s resignation on May 8 was triggered by remarks about India's diversity, which were criticised as racially insensitive.

He had said that India is a "diverse country... where people in the 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."

Following his reinstatement, announced by the party yesterday (27 June), Ramesh explained that Pitroda had clarified the context of his statements and assured the party he would avoid similar controversies in the future.

"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," Ramesh posted on X.

"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," he had added.

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