Sam Pitroda has been reinstated as chairman of the Indian Overseas Congress, effective immediately, following his resignation from the position in May amidst controversy over his remarks. Pitroda had sparked a significant backlash during the Lok Sabha election campaign when he compared Indians from various regions to Chinese, Arabs, Whites, and Africans while discussing India's diversity and democracy.
"We are a shining example of democracy in the world...we could hold 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 Africa. Doesn't matter, we are all brothers and sisters," Pitroda had stated, providing fodder for BJP criticism against Congress.
Earlier in April, Pitroda had stirred further controversy by endorsing the concept of inheritance tax, drawing parallels with the United States' policy. His remarks triggered BJP accusations of Congress promoting 'wealth redistribution'.
"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. It says you in your generation, made wealth and you are leaving now, you must leave your wealth for the public, not all of it, half of it, which to me sounds fair," Pitroda explained.