Sam Pitroda Re-appointed as Chairman of Indian Overseas Congress

Indian Overseas Congress leader Sam Pitroda has been reinstated as the Chairman with immediate effect, following his resignation amidst a controversy earlier this year. Pitroda, a key aide of Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, had stepped down after facing backlash for his remarks during the Lok Sabha election campaign.

The decision to re-appoint Pitroda was defended by Congress General Secretary Jairam Ramesh, who clarified that Pitroda’s comments were misconstrued and taken out of context. He highlighted that Pitroda has assured Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge that such controversies will not arise in the future.

On the other hand, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) criticized the move, labelling Pitroda’s removal and subsequent re-appointment as mere election tactics. Amit Malviya, a prominent figure in the BJP IT cell, expressed discontent over Pitroda’s return, citing it as a deceptive move by Congress.

Pitroda had garnered negative attention during the election campaign for his comparison of Indian physical appearances to various ethnicities. This sparked a debate, with BJP accusing him of racist remarks. Additionally, his earlier mention of inheritance tax in the United States had drawn criticism from BJP, who accused Congress of aiming for wealth redistribution.

Following his resignation on May 8, which was accepted by AICC President Mallikarjun Kharge, Sam Pitroda has now been reinstated as the Chairman of the Indian Overseas Congress. The decision comes amidst ongoing political discussions regarding diversity, democracy, and wealth management within the Indian political landscape.