The Congress party on Wednesday reappointed Sam Pitroda as the Chairman of the Indian Overseas Congress. Pitroda had resigned in May following a controversy over his statements advocating for the implementation of an inheritance tax law in India and making racially insensitive remarks about the appearance of people from different regions of the country.
"Congress President has reappointed Shri Sam Pitroda as Chairman of the Indian Overseas Congress with immediate effect," announced party general secretary K.C. Venugopal in a statement.
Pitroda, who recently came under scrutiny for his controversial comments, has once again been reinstated to his former position. During the Lok Sabha polls, Pitroda sparked major controversy with his remarks about the diverse ethnic appearances of people in India.
In an interview with 'The Statesman,' Pitroda stated, "We have survived 75 years in a very happy environment where people could live together, leaving aside a few fights here and there. We could hold a country together 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 white, and maybe people in the South look like Africans."
His comments were met with severe criticism from the BJP and NDA allies, who argued that such remarks reflect the Congress party's mindset. External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar, in an interview with PTI, condemned Pitroda's statements, highlighting the issues of racial stereotyping and the implied effort required to unite India's diverse population.
Pitroda subsequently resigned as the party's overseas unit chief. Previously, he served as an advisor to former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi and has been closely associated with Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, often accompanying him on foreign visits.
