‘Outright Pathetic’: Sports Minister Slams Congress, TMC Leaders For Comments On Rohit Sharma

Last Updated:March 04, 2025, 22:17 IST

Congress spokesperson Dr Shama Mohamed criticised Indian captain Rohit Sharma, calling him “overweight” and “the most unimpressive captain India has ever had”.

Union Sports Minister Dr Mansukh Mandaviya on Monday hit out at the Congress and TMC over grand-old-party’s spokesperson Shama Mohamed’s controversial comment on Rohit Sharma’s captaincy ahead of the crucial semi-final clash against Australia in the Champions Trophy and said that such statements “undermine the hard work and sacrifices” of the sportspersons who represent the country on the global stage”.

Lambasting Congress and TMC, Mandaviya said that such remarks indulging body shaming are “not only deeply shameful but also outright pathetic.”

Read More: ‘Rohit Sharma Is Fat’: Congress’s Shama Mohamed Shares ‘Unimpressive Captain’ Post, Deletes It After Outrage

“Congress and TMC should leave sportspersons alone as they are fully capable of handling their professional lives. Remarks made by leaders from these parties, indulging in body shaming and questioning an athlete’s place in the team, are not only deeply shameful but also outright pathetic,” he said in a post on X.

What Did Shama Mohamed Say On Rohit Sharma?

Congress spokesperson Mohamed 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.

Her remarks came amid the Indian cricket team’s undefeated run at the ongoing Champions Trophy and right after it won against New Zealand to set up the first semi-final of the tournament against Australia, which will take place on Tuesday (March 4). Sharma scored 15 runs in the match with New Zealand on Sunday (March 2).

TMC MP Backs Shama Mohamed’s Remark

Trinamool Congress MP Sougata Roy backed Congress spokesperson’s remark and said that the latter had not said anything wrong about the skipper, whose “performance has been quite poor”.

“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 in the team. India wins because the other players play well, but the captain doesn’t contribute much…” Roy said.

BCCI, BJP Condemn Comments

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) and BJP strongly criticised remarks made by Mohamed. Speaking to CNN NEWS 18, BCCI Secretary Devajit Saikia condemned the comments, calling them “unfortunate” and potentially demoralizing for the Indian cricket team during a crucial ICC tournament. He stated, “All players are performing at their highest potential, and the results are visible. Individuals should refrain from making such derogatory statements for personal publicity.”

BJP said that the statements against the Indian cricket team captain are “premeditated” to “undermine” the morale of the team. It 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.

“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.

Congress Distances Itself From Mohamed’s Comments

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.