Congress has faced backlash after its national spokesperson Shama Mohamed made controversial remarks about Indian cricket captain Rohit Sharma, calling him “fat for a sportsperson” and “the most unimpressive” captain in India’s history.
The comments, posted on social media, sparked widespread criticism, prompting the party to intervene and instruct her to delete the post. The remarks were later removed.
“Rohit Sharma is fat for a sportsman! Need to lose weight! And of course, the most unimpressive captain India has ever had!” Mohamed wrote in the now-deleted post.
Her comments drew strong reactions, particularly from BJP leaders and cricket fans.
Responding to a user who described Sharma as a “world-class player,” Mohamed dismissed the claim, questioning his legacy compared to Sachin Tendulkar, Rahul Dravid, MS Dhoni, Virat Kohli, and Kapil Dev.
“What is so world-class about him when compared to his predecessors? He is a mediocre captain as well as a mediocre player who got lucky to be the captain of India,” she wrote.
The BJP condemned Mohamed’s remarks, accusing Congress of “body-shaming” and disrespecting a World Cup-winning captain.
BJP leader Radhika Khera, who had previously been with Congress before joining the BJP, criticised her former party and alleged that it had a history of disrespecting athletes.
“This is the same Congress that humiliated athletes for decades, denied them recognition, and now dares to mock a cricketing legend? The party that thrives on nepotism is lecturing a self-made champion?” Khera said.
She also criticised Rahul Gandhi, stating that while Rohit Sharma led India to a World Cup victory, the Congress leader struggled to manage his own party without leading it into turmoil. Khera further targeted Jairam Ramesh, urging him to focus on Congress’s declining electoral standing instead of attacking a cricketer who had brought glory to India.
“Congress should worry about its own sinking dynast before taking cheap shots at India’s pride!” she added.
Defending her remarks, Mohamed said her tweet was a general observation about an athlete’s fitness and not an attempt at body-shaming. “It was not body-shaming. I always believed a sportsperson should be fit, and I felt he was a bit overweight, so I just tweeted about that,” she said.
Congress distanced itself from the controversy, asserting that the party held sporting icons in high regard. Party leader Pawan Khera confirmed that Mohamed had been asked to delete her post and had been advised to exercise greater caution in the future.
“The Indian National Congress holds the contributions of sporting icons in the highest regard and does not endorse any statements that undermine their legacy,” Pawan Khera said.
Meanwhile, India secured a 44-run victory over New Zealand in their final group-stage match of the 2025 Champions Trophy. Despite Rohit Sharma falling early, India posted a total of 249 in 50 overs. The bowling attack, led by Varun Chakaravarthy, dismissed New Zealand for 205. With the win, India advanced to the semi-finals and will face Australia on March 4.
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