Shama Mohamed, a Congress spokesperson, has removed her social media post in which she called Indian cricket captain Rohit Sharma “fat,” along with all of the tweets that followed in which she offered an explanation for her comments. The action was taken when the Congress high command intervened due to strong criticism from political rivals and cricket fans, which put the party in damage control mode.
During India’s game versus New Zealand, Mohamed made a contentious tweet in which she questioned Sharma’s leadership and level of fitness. For a sportsman, Rohit Sharma is overweight! Weight loss is necessary! On X (previously Twitter), she said, “And of course the most unimpressive Captain India has ever had.” The comment caused a stir, and supporters used data to emphasize Sharma’s leadership and accomplishments. The Congress was also attacked by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), which said that the remark demonstrated the party’s “emergency mindset.”
Later, in an effort to provide clarification, Mohamed called her comment “generic” and asked why individuals in a democracy were unable to openly express their views. The Congress was forced to disassociate itself from her remarks, nonetheless, because the explanation was unable to control the uproar. Mohamed’s opinions were personal and did not represent the party’s position, according to senior Congress politician Pawan Khera.
#WATCH | On her comment on Indian Cricket team captain Rohit Sharma, Congress leader Shama Mohammed says, “It was a generic tweet about the fitness of a sportsperson. It was not body-shaming. I always believed a sportsperson should be fit, and I felt he was a bit overweight, so I… pic.twitter.com/OBiLk84Mjh
— ANI (@ANI) March 3, 2025
She has been instructed to take more care going forward and has been requested to remove the offending social media posts from X. Khera stated, “The Indian National Congress does not support any statements that diminish the legacy of sporting icons and holds their contributions in the highest regard.”
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…
— Pawan Khera 🇮🇳 (@Pawankhera) March 3, 2025
Even after removing the post and its justifications, Mohamed has not apologized. Pradeep Bhandari, a BJP spokesperson, denounced her comments as “shameful” and an insult to all Indian cricket fans. In a social media post, he said, “Do they expect Rahul Gandhi to now play cricket after failing in Indian politics?”
When Mohamed spoke with a sports writer from Pakistan who backed Sharma by referring to him as a “mighty effective and world-class performer,” the dispute intensified even further. In his dismissive response, Mohamed said that Sharma was not comparable to Indian cricket greats such as Virat Kohli, Rahul Dravid, MS Dhoni, Sourav Ganguly, Sachin Tendulkar, and Kapil Dev. She stated, “He is a mediocre player who was fortunate to be the Captain of India. He is also a mediocre captain.”
The case highlights the possible dangers of imprudent social media statements, particularly in a nation where cricket is closely linked to national mood, as the Congress attempts to control the impact.
