DMK leader TKS Elangovan stated that Sam Pitroda’s comments about “people in the South look like Africans and those in the East look like Chinese” were meant to convey unity in diversity but were poorly articulated.
Sam Pitroda resigned as the Indian Overseas Congress Chairman after the comments went viral.
After Prime Minister Narendra Modi challenged Congress ally Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) to sever ties with the Congress party over Sam Pitroda’s remark, the MK Stalin-led party distanced itself from the comment, deeming it “unwarranted.” Elangovan clarified that Pitroda’s intended message was one of unity, despite the varied religions, cultures, and languages in India.
Elangovan told News18, “We are all together, and have never racially differentiated the people of India. What Pitroda said may have been misunderstood; he intended to express our unity despite our differences.”
DMK criticized PM Modi for remaining silent when a BJP leader made a similar statement in the past, according to NDTV.
In an interview with ‘The Statesman’, Pitroda commented on India’s democracy, stating, “We have survived 75 years in a very happy environment where people could live together. We held together a country as diverse as India, with people in the east resembling Chinese, those in the west looking Arab, and people in the south looking like Africans.”
Following the controversy, PM Modi questioned whether DMK would end its alliance with Congress. He challenged DMK President and Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin to stand up for Tamil pride and sever ties with Congress over the remark.
“Do they have the courage?” asked PM Modi.
Pitroda resigned as the Indian Overseas Congress Chairman after his comments went viral.
