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Congress spokesperson Shama Mohamed stoked row with her “fat” remark on Rohit Sharma, drawing sharp criticism from the BJP which took a potshot at Rahul Gandhi’s leadership.
Rahul Gandhi and Rohit Sharma (PTI Image)
The Bharatiya Janata Party on Monday hit out at the Congress party over its spokesperson questioning Rohit Sharma’s captaincy ahead of the crucial semi-final clash against Australia in the Champions Trophy and said that the statements against the Indian cricket team captain are “premeditated” to “undermine” the morale of the team.
The BJP said that the party that has lost over 90 elections under the leadership of Rahul Gandhi is “body shaming” the skipper of the Indian cricket team.
BJP leader Amit Malviya slammed Congress spokesperson Shama Mohamed for her X post, which she later took down, and said that the grand old party’s “disdain” for the Indian icons is out on display.
“The Congress, which has lost over 90 elections under Rahul Gandhi’s leadership, is now body shaming the Indian cricket captain, at a time when our national team is in pursuit of the Champions Trophy! This is a premeditated put down to undermine the team’s morale at a crucial time. Their disdain for our icons is apparent. They resent a self confident India,” Malviya said on X.
The Congress, which has lost over 90 elections under Rahul Gandhi’s leadership, is now body shaming the Indian cricket captain, at a time when our national team is in pursuit of the Champions Trophy! This is a premeditated put down to undermine the team’s morale at a crucial… pic.twitter.com/Wb1mK5fm2m— Amit Malviya (@amitmalviya) March 3, 2025
India are all set to lock horns with Australia on Tuesday in the semi-final match of the Champions Trophy.
What Did Shama Mohamed Say On Rohit Sharma?
Shama called Rohit Sharma “fat for a sportsman” and dubbed his captaincy the “most unimpressive” in comparison to other skippers the team has had in the past.
“Rohit Sharma is fat for a sportsman! Need to lose weight! And of course, the most unimpressive captain India has ever had,” she had said in the now-deleted X post.
Amid row over the Congress leader’s remarks, the party has distanced itself from her statements, stating that it does not endorse such remarks that undermine the legacy of sporting icons.
“Dr. Shama Mohammed, National Spokesperson of the Indian National Congress, made certain remarks about a cricketing legend that do not reflect the party’s position. She has been asked to delete the concerned social media posts from X and has 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,” party spokesperson Pawan Khera posted on X after massive backlash.
TMC MP Backs Shama’s Remarks, Says ‘Rohit Sharma Shouldn’t Be On Team’
Trinamool Congress MP Sougata Ray came out in support of Shama and said that Rohit Sharma should not be in the team.
“I heard that Rohit Sharma’s performance has been quite poor. He scored one century, but other than that, he gets out after scoring 2, 3, 4, or 5 runs. He shouldn’t be (on the team). India wins because the other players play well, but the captain doesn’t contribute. What Shama Mohamed has said is correct,” he said.
