‘Assurance’ led to Sam Pitroda's return as Indian Overseas Congress chief? He reacts

Pitroda, who resigned on May 8, was reinstated on June 26.

Sam Pitroda, now back as the chairman of the Congress party's overseas wing, the Indian Overseas Congress, on Thursday reacted to the X post by Jairam Ramesh, the Congress' communication in-charge, in which the Rajya Sabha MP announced that Pitroda was being reinstated as the Indian Overseas Congress chief.

Congress’ Indian Overseas Chief Sam Pitroda (File Photo)

Pitroda, who spoke to NDTV, talked about the bit from Ramesh's post stating the former was reinstated after giving an ‘assurance’ that he would not make ‘controversial’ remarks in the future

“The Congress is not saying that. Jairam is saying so. What he says is his view, it is not necessarily the party views. It is okay for him to say that and I respect it. I have to do what I have to do. In the process, I am entitled to make mistakes,” Pitroda said.

The 82-year-old stepped down on May 8 after he made certain racist remarks, and days after his statement on inheritance tax. The twin controversies forced the Congress to distance itself from him, and invited attacks from Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the BJP.

Then, on Wednesday, he was reappointed, with Ramesh mentioning that the former gave an ‘assurance’ to Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge.

“During the recent election campaign, he had made some statements and comment that were unacceptable to the Indian National Congress. By mutual consent he stepped down as Chairman of Overseas Indian Congress,” Ramesh wrote on X about Pitroda, a close associate of the Gandhis, the grand old party's first family.

“Subsequently he clarified the context in which statements were made and how they were later distorted by the Modi campaign. The Congress President has reappointed him on the assurance that he will not in future leave room for such controversies to arise,” the former Union minister added.