Sam Pitroda’s ‘East Indians look like Chinese’ remark triggers row; Congress distances itself

Senior Congress leader Sam Pitroda on Wednesday (May 8) courted yet another controversy after his comment that “people in the east look like Chinese,” made during a recent interview, went viral with the BJP using it to go hammer and tongs against the Congress.

A red-faced Congress was quick to dissociate itself from Pitroda’s comments. Calling the statement “unfortunate” and “unacceptable”, Congress’ communication in-charge, Jairam Ramesh, said the party does not subscribe to such analogies.

“The analogies drawn by Mr Pitroda in a recent podcast to illustrate India’s diversity are most unfortunate and completely unacceptable. Indian national congress dissociates itself totally from these analogies and comments of Mr Pitroda,” Ramesh said in a video posted on X.

What Pitroda said

In an interview with The Statesman on May 2, Pitroda, the chairman of the Indian Overseas Congress, in a bid to show the diversity of India ended up racially profiling ethnic groups in the country, comparing East Indians with the Chinese and South Indians with Africans.

“We could hold a country together as diverse as India, where people on the East look like Chinese, people on the West look like Arab, people on the North look like whites and maybe people on the South look like Africans. It doesn’t matter. We are all brothers and sisters,” he said.

Our founding fathers didn’t fight for Hindu Rashtra

He said the basis for India as a nation was not religion but secular ideals.

“One view centres around Ram Temple, god, history, heritage, bhagwan, Hanuman, Bajrang Dal and all kinds of issues... I respect their view. There is another group which says ‘Look, our founding fathers fought the British Raj, not for a Hindu Rashtra, but for a secular nation’,” Pitroda said.

He cited the example of Pakistan as a nation that was built on religious lines, yet has failed to be a democracy.

“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 before making the remark how India has managed to hold different ethnic groups together.

The video that was widely circulated on social media platforms including X, sparked a furore with the ruling BJP accusing Pitroda of racism.

BJP leaders go ballistic

Prime Minister Narendra Modi was among the first to call out the racist analogy used by the Congress leader.

“I understand that Congress had tried to defeat Droupadi Murmu in Presidential elections due to her skin colour. The country will not accept discrimination based on skin colour, Congress’ shehzada should answer,” Modi said, taking a dig at Congress leader Rahul Gandhi.

Other BJP leaders including Manipur Chief Minister N Biren Singh and Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma hit back at the Congress leader.

"Sam bhai, I am from the northeast, 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 (Please, understand something about our country)!" the Assam chief minister wrote on X.

Senior BJP leader Ravi Shankar Prasad said both Rahul and his advisor Pitroda did not understand India and its heritage. "It becomes clear again and again about Sam Pitroda’s understanding of India. It is clear that he is a failure. He doesn't understand the country. He is Rahul Gandhi's advisor. I can now understand why Rahul Gandhi speaks nonsense...This is the frustration of defeat. They neither understand India nor its heritage," ANI quoted the former Union minister as saying.

Kangana calls it racist and divisive

Bollywood actor turned politician Kangna Ranaut called Pitroda’s remark “racist and divisive”. "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!" the BJP Lok Sabha candidate from Mandi in Himachal Pradesh said.

Shehzad Poonawalla, the national spokesperson of the BJP dubbed Pitroda’s comments as "shocking, despicable and disgusting".

Last month, the Congress had to distance itself from Pitroda’s views on inheritance tax which he made in the course of an interview suggesting it could be a way of redistributing wealth. The BJP top brass, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi, made it a big poll issue.