New Delhi, March 3: In an incident sparking widespread criticism, the Congress Party on Monday issued a stern reprimand to its national spokesperson, Shama Mohamed, for fat-shaming Indian cricket team captain Rohit Sharma. The party directed Mohamed to delete her controversial social media posts and urged her to exercise greater restraint in her online conduct moving forward.
Late Sunday night, Mohamed had made disparaging comments about Sharma's fitness on social media platform X, describing him as "fat for a sportsman." Her post further stated, "Need to lose weight! And of course the most unimpressive Captain India has ever had!"
These comments quickly attracted backlash not just from cricket enthusiasts and the public, but also from political figures, including leaders from the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). Mohamed has since removed the posts from her account.
Addressing the incident, Congress' Media and Publicity Department head, Pawan Khera, clarified the party's stance, stressing, "Dr. Shama Mohamed, National Spokesperson of the Indian National Congress, made certain remarks about a cricketing legend that do not reflect the party's position."
Highlighting the significance of the issue, Khera emphasized that Mohamed was instructed to remove the contentious posts immediately and advised to maintain a more cautious approach in her future communications.
Mohamed's remarks emerged even as the Indian cricket team continues its undefeated streak at the ongoing Champions Trophy. Responding specifically to a social media user praising Rohit Sharma’s leadership, Mohamed questioned his stature compared to legendary predecessors such as Sourav Ganguly, Sachin Tendulkar, Rahul Dravid, MS Dhoni, Virat Kohli, Kapil Dev, and Ravi Shastri.
Reiterating the party’s commitment to honouring sports icons, Khera concluded, "The Indian National Congress holds the contributions of sporting icons in the highest regard and does not endorse any statements that undermine their legacy."
The swift response by the Congress highlights its sensitivity toward maintaining respectful discourse about national heroes, particularly in sports, where public sentiment runs deep.
