'East Indians Look Like Chinese, Southerners Like Africans...': Pitroda's Viral Remark Puts Cong In Crosshairs, BJP Drags Rahul

In an recent interview, Indian Overseas Congress Chairman Sam Pitroda while talking about India's diversity made reference to how people in the South "look like Africans, and those in the West look like Arabs, and those in the East look like Chinese. The alleged racist comment by the Congress leader has landed the party in yet again controversy even before it could douse the flames of "inheritance tax" row.

Pitroda said that the people of India have "survived 75 years in a very happy environment where people could live together leaving a few fights here and there" in reference to the nation being a shining example of democracy in the world.

Pitroda, in an interview with 'The Statesman', reflected on Indian democracy, saying, "We have survived 75 years in a very happy environment where people could live together, with the exception of a few fights here and there." We could hold together a country as diverse as India, where people in the east look like Chinese, people in the west look like Arabs, people in the north look like whites, and perhaps people in the south look like Africans."

Sam Pitroda: "We could hold together a country as diverse as India, 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" pic.twitter.com/g9qEOw6njx — Pradeep Maikhuri (@PradeepMaikhur3) May 8, 2024

He went on to say that Indians respect different languages, religions, foods, and customs, which vary by region. "That's the India that I believe in, where everybody has a place and everybody compromises little bit," he stated.

Earlier, Pitroda stoked a controversy while speaking about the concept of inheritance tax prevailing in America and said these are issued that will need to be discussed.

The Bharatiya Janata Party has criticised Indian Overseas Congress Chairman Sam Pitroda for making 'racist' remarks about how people in the South "look like Africans, those in the East look like Arabs, and those in the East look like Chinese."

Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma was one of the first to respond, taking to X and slamming Pitroda for his remarks, saying, "Sam bhai, I am from the North East and I look like an Indian." We are a diverse country; we may appear different, but we are all one. Learn a little about our country."

BJP leader Shahzad Poonawalla also responded to Pitroda's remarks, saying, "Words are Uncle Sam's, but ideas are Rahul Gandhi's."

"Shabd Uncle Sam ke Soch Rahul ki Pitting Bharatiya versus Bharatiya Racism & nafrat ki dukaan Comparing people of north east to Chinese! South to Africans! Congress must sack him! And clarify .. he is a serial offender ! From Hua to Hua to this!," he said in a X post.

Shabd Uncle Sam ke
Soch Rahul ki

Pitting Bharatiya versus Bharatiya
Racism & nafrat ki dukaan

Comparing people of north east to Chinese! South to Africans!

Congress must sack him! And clarify .. he is a serial offender ! From Hua to Hua to this! pic.twitter.com/FHtiJoPgI9 — Shehzad Jai Hind (Modi Ka Parivar) (@Shehzad_Ind) May 8, 2024