Indian Overseas Congress Chairman Sam Pitroda has once again found himself in the midst of controversy after his recent comments on the diversity of Bharat, reigniting a firestorm shortly after the inheritance tax debate.
In an interview with a national daily, Pitroda remarked, “People in the South look like Africans, those in the East look like Arabs, and those in the East look like Chinese.”
Reflecting on Bharat’s democracy, Pitroda emphasised the nation’s resilience over 75 years, stating, “We have survived 75 years in a very happy environment where people could live together, leaving aside few fights here and there. We could hold a country together as diverse as Bharat, 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.”
He further underlined the Indian ethos of respecting different languages, religions, food, and customs across regions. “That’s the Bharat that I believe in, where everybody has a place and everybody compromises a little bit,” he asserted.
Earlier, Pitroda stirred controversy while discussing inheritance tax in America, suggesting it as a topic for discussion. “In America, there is an inheritance tax. If one has 100 million USD worth of wealth and when he dies he can only transfer 45 per cent to his children, 55 per cent is grabbed by the government. That’s an interesting law,” he had said.
Amid mounting controversy, Pitroda sought to clarify his remarks, stating, “Who said 55 per cent will be taken away? Who said something like this should be done in India? Why is BJP and media in panic? I mentioned US inheritance tax in the US only as an example in my normal conversation on TV. Can I not mention facts? I said these are the kind of issues people will have to discuss and debate. This has nothing to do with policy of any party including Congress.”
However, the Congress officially distanced itself from Pitroda’s comments, asserting that they did not reflect the party’s views at all times.
