Sam Pitroda triggers row with 'people in East look like Chinese' remark, BJP reacts

Sam Pitroda, whom the BJP calls Rahul Gandhi's guru, was elaborating on India's diversity when he made the remark.

Sam Pitroda, the chairman of the Indian Overseas Congress, has courted yet another controversy with his remark that “people in the eastern part of India look like the Chinese”. The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has called the remark "racist and divisive".

Congress leader Sam Pitroda’s comments sparked the debate on inheritance tax. (HT PHOTO)

Sam Pitroda, whom the BJP calls Rahul Gandhi's political guru, was elaborating on India's diversity when he made the remark.

"One view centers around Ram Temple, god, history, heritage, bhagwan, Hanuman, Bajrang Dal and all kinds of issues... there is another group which says our founding father fought the British Raj, not for a Hindu Rashtra, but for a secular nation... We are the shining example of democracy in the world," he said in an interview with The Statesman, earlier this month.

Sam Pitroda further said people with different appearances live in India in harmony.

"We have survived 70-75 years, in a very happy environment where people could live together, leaving aside few fights here and there. We could hold the country together, as diverse as India -- where people in East look like Chinese, people in West look like Arab, people in North look like, maybe White, and people in South look like Africans. It doesn't matter. We are all brothers and sisters," he said.

Sharply reacting to the remark, BJP leader Himanta Biswa Sarma said he is from the North East but “looks like an Indian”. He said Sam Pitroda must learn about India.

"Sam brother, 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. Please learn something about our country," he wrote on X.

BJP leader Ravi Shankar Prasad called Sam Pitroda “a failure”.

"It becomes clear again and again that what does Sam Pitroda understand about 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," he told ANI.

Actor-turned-politician and BJP candidate, Kangana Ranaut accused Sam Pitroda of taking racist and divisive jibes at Indians.

"Sam Pitroda is Rahul Gandhi’s mentor. Listen to his racist & divisive jibes for Indians. Their whole ideology is about divide & rule. It's sickening to call fellow Indians Chinese and African. Shame on Congress!," she wrote on X.

Last month, Sam Pitroda sparked a huge controversy when he talked about inheritance tax levied in the United States. The BJP later claimed the Congress had promised to snatch away people's property and distribute them among Muslims.