Row Over Shama Mohammed’s “Rohit Sharma Fat” Remarks
Congress leader Shama Mohammed has sparked controversy with her remarks on Indian cricket captain Rohit Sharma, calling him “fat for a sportsman” and “the most unimpressive captain India has ever had.” Her comments, posted on X, have drawn strong reactions from both political and cricketing circles. The tweets have now been deleted.
In her initial post, she wrote, “Rohit Sharma is fat for a sportsman! Need to lose weight! And of course, the most unimpressive Captain India has ever had!” Responding to criticism from a Pakistani sports journalist, she doubled down on her stance, saying, “What is so world-class about him when compared to his predecessors like Ganguly, Tendulkar, Dravid, Dhoni, Kohli, Kapil Dev, Shastri & the rest! He is a mediocre captain as well as a mediocre player who got lucky to be the Captain of India.”
The remarks have triggered a sharp response from the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). Party spokesperson Pradeep Bhandari accused the Congress of undermining India’s sporting achievements. “Shame on Congress! Now they are going after the Indian Cricket Captain! Do they expect Rahul Gandhi to now play cricket after failing in Indian politics?” he posted on social media.
Speaking to NDTV, Bhandari further criticised the Congress leader’s remarks, calling them “an insult to every patriot who supports the Indian cricket team through thick and thin.” He claimed that such statements reflect the party’s “Emergency mindset” and questioned the intent behind the criticism.
Another BJP spokesperson said, “Congress hates Indian agencies and organisations. Now, they have started hating the Indian cricket team as well. Shama Mohammed’s comment shows their jealousy towards India’s achievements and victories.”
Responding to the backlash, Shama Mohammed defended her comments, denying that they were intended as body shaming. In an interview, she said, “It was a generic tweet about the fitness of a sportsperson. It was not body-shaming. I always believed a sportsperson should be fit, and I felt he was a bit overweight, so I just tweeted about that.”
She further justified her comparison of Rohit Sharma with former Indian captains, saying, “When I compared him with previous captains, I put in a statement. I have the right. What is wrong in saying? It is a democracy.”
Now, Congress has also responded to the row. Pawan Khera, party’s incharge of media and publicity wing said that Shama has been asked to delete the concerned social media posts from X and has been advised to exercise greater caution in the future.
“Dr. Shama Mohammed, National Spokesperson of the Indian National Congress, made certain remarks about a cricketing legend that do not reflect the party’s position. She has been asked to delete the concerned social media posts from X and has been advised to exercise greater caution in the future. The Indian National Congress holds the contributions of sporting icons in the highest regard and does not endorse any statements that undermine their legacy,” Khera said.
