Congress was left red-faced after its National Spokesperson Shama Mohamed stirred controversy with her remarks on Indian cricket captain Rohit Sharma, calling him “fat for a sportsperson” and the “most unimpressive” captain in India’s history. As the post triggered widespread backlash, the party quickly intervened, asking her to delete it. The post was later taken down.
“Rohit Sharma is fat for a sportsman! Need to lose weight! And of course, the most unimpressive captain India has ever had!” her now-deleted post read.
Her comments drew immediate backlash, particularly from BJP leaders and cricket fans. Responding to a user who called Sharma a “world-class player,” Mohamed dismissed the claim, questioning his legacy compared to Indian cricketing greats like 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 swiftly condemned Mohamed’s remarks, accusing Congress of “body-shaming” and disrespecting a World Cup winner. BJP leader Radhika Khera, who broke ties with the Congress and joined the BJP, accused her former party of having “humiliated athletes for decades”.
“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.
Radhika Khera 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. She also took a dig at Jairam Ramesh, urging him to focus on the Congress party’s diminishing relevance, credibility, and electoral standing instead of targeting a cricketer who has brought glory to India.
“Congress should worry about its own sinking dynast before taking cheap shots at India’s pride!” she said.
Shama Mohamed defended her remark, stating that her tweet was a general observation about an athlete’s fitness rather than an instance of 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, pushing back against criticism.
Congress distanced itself from Shama Mohamed’s remark, saying that the party “holds the contributions of sporting icons in the highest regard”. Congress leader Pawan Khera said the party had asked Shama Mohamed to delete her post and “advised her 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.
Notably, India secured a commanding 44-run victory over New Zealand in their final group-stage clash of the 2025 Champions Trophy. Despite captain Rohit Sharma falling early, India posted a competitive total of 249 in their allotted 50 overs. The bowling attack, spearheaded by Varun Chakaravarthy, delivered a stellar performance, dismantling the Kiwi batting lineup and bundling them out for 205.
With their win, India marched into the semi-finals, where they will take on Australia in a high-stakes showdown on March 4. (India Today)
The post Indian politician faces backlash over Rohit Sharma comment appeared first on Newswire.