Prime Minister Narendra Modi today demanded an explanation from Congress leader Rahul Gandhi over his mentor and party leader Sam Pitroda’s fresh gaffe on diversity of India, making it clear that he “won’t tolerate disrespect on the basis of the colour of skin”.
“Shehzade, you will have to answer. The country will not tolerate the disrespect of our countrymen on the basis of the colour of skin. Modi will definitely not tolerate it,” PM Modi said today at a rally in Telangana’s Warangal.
Sam Pitroda, whose comments on inheritance tax last month left the Congress red-faced, made the matters worse for his party when he called for national unity despite diversity. In an exclusive interview with The Statesman, Pitroda described India as a “… diverse country… where people on East look like Chinese, people on West look like Arab, people on North look like maybe White and people in South look like Africa”.
The Congress quickly distanced itself from Pitroda’s remark. “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,” senior Congress leader Jairam Ramesh said in a post on X.
But the BJP isn’t going to miss this opportunity to amplify its attack on the Congress. The PM said he now knows why the Congress opposed the BJP’s choice of Droupadi Murmu for the President’s post. “I used to wonder why the Congress opposed Droupadi Murmu’s candidature in the presidential election, but I could not understand. But now I know why they tried to defeat Droupadi Murmu, an adivasi. An uncle of the shehzaada stays in the US. He is his philosopher and guide. He has said those who have dark skin are from Africa. Now I have understood, they also thought Droupadi Murmu is African. They thought her skin is dark, so she must be defeated,” PM Modi said.
BJP spokesperson Sudhanshu Trivedi said that Pitroda’s remarks “show his ignorance and contempt for the fundamental identity of the country”.
Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma posted on X, “Sam bhai, I am from the North East and I look like an Indian. We are a diverse country – we may look different but we are all one. Hamare desh ke bare mein thoda to samajh lo!”
Kangana Ranaut, who is making her electoral debut from Mandi in Himachal Pradesh, said, “Sam Pitroda is Rahul Gandhi’s mentor. Listen to his racist and divisive jibes for Indians. Their whole (the Congress’) ideology is about divide and rule. It’s sickening to call fellow Indians Chinese and African. Shame on Congress!”
BJP leader Shehzad Poonawalla called Pitroda’s comment “shocking, despicable and disgusting”. “He is the mentor of Rahul Gandhi. It is the word, spirit, vocabulary and ideology of Rahul Gandhi… First, they divided on the basis of caste, religion and language. Now, they are dividing Indian vs. Indian. And to make a comment like Indians are like Chinese, isn’t it a racist comment? Isn’t it insulting and objectionable ? It shows ‘Congress ki Mohabbat ki Dukan actually has ‘nafrat’ and ‘racism ka saman’…”
In the interview, Pitroda referred to a “really divided country today based on ideas of India”, and said, “It is not a question of who is right or wrong… but a question of what you believe in.”
“… there is another view that says our founding fathers fought the British Raj not for a Hindu nation but for a secular nation. Pakistan decided to make a nation based on religion… you can see how that is going. We are a shining example of democracy in the world. We have survived 70-75 years in a very happy environment, leaving aside a few fights here and there,” he said.
“… we are all brothers and sisters, we respect different languages, religions, customs, and food. As a Gujarati, I love dosa. So, if I go to Tamil Nadu and speak the local language, it is ok. I am still at home… that is my India, rooted in democracy, freedom, liberty, and fraternity,” he declared. This view, Mr Pitroda said, “is being challenged by one that includes the Ram Temple and Ram Navami and the PM going to temples all the time and talking not as a national leader, but that of the BJP”.