Who is Shama Mohamed, the Congress leader under fire for fat-shaming Indian skipper Rohit Sharma?

Dr. Shama Mohamed is an Indian politician and national spokesperson for the Indian National Congress (INC). A dentist by education, she has been active in the party's media engagements and has played a key role as a national media panelist since December 2018. Recently, she has been at the center of controversy for her comments on Indian cricket team captain Rohit Sharma’s fitness.

Shama Mohamed: Background and Political Career

Born on May 17, 1973, in Cherukallayi, near New Mahe, Kannur district, Kerala, Shama Mohamed completed her early education at the Indian School in Kuwait before moving to India in 1990. She pursued a Bachelor of Dental Sciences from Yenepoya University, Mangalore. Before joining politics, she briefly worked as a journalist with Zee TV.

Shama Mohamed has been a vocal advocate for education, women's rights, primary healthcare, population control, and infrastructure. She has also raised concerns about the plight of manual scavengers in India. In July 2015, she was appointed as the national spokesperson of the All India Congress Committee (AICC), followed by her appointment as a national media panelist in 2018.

Shama Mohamed: Controversy Over Remarks on Rohit Sharma

Shama Mohamed recently drew sharp criticism after making comments on X (formerly Twitter) about Rohit Sharma’s fitness. During an ICC Champions Trophy match where India faced New Zealand, she remarked that the Indian captain was “fat” and needed to lose weight. She also called him the “most unimpressive captain India has ever had.”

Her posts quickly went viral, drawing backlash from cricket fans and political opponents alike. In a follow-up post, she questioned what made Sharma “world-class” compared to his predecessors, further fueling the controversy.

Shama Mohamed row: Congress Distances Itself

Following the outrage, the Congress party distanced itself from Shama Mohamed’s remarks. Party leader Pawan Khera clarified that her views were personal and did not reflect the party's official stance. He also confirmed that the party had asked her to delete the posts and advised her to exercise greater caution in the future.

“The Indian National Congress holds the contributions of legendary figures in the sports world in the highest regard and does not endorse any statement that undermines their legacy,” Khera stated.

Shama Mohamed Defends Her Statements

Despite the criticism, Shama Mohamed defended her remarks, asserting that her comments were made in a “generic manner” and not intended as body-shaming. She emphasized that fitness is a crucial aspect of being a sportsperson and argued that her statements were being misinterpreted.

“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 just tweeted about that. I have been attacked for no reason,” she told ANI.

Shama Mohamed row: BJP’s Reaction

The controversy provided an opportunity for the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) to target the Congress party. BJP leader Shehzad Poonawalla mocked the Congress, drawing a comparison between the party’s electoral losses under Rahul Gandhi and Rohit Sharma’s cricketing record.

“Those who have lost 90 elections under captaincy of Rahul Gandhi are calling captaincy of Rohit Sharma unimpressive!” Poonawalla remarked.

Another BJP leader, Radhika Khera, accused the Congress of disrespecting sports personalities. “The sheer audacity! This is the same Congress that humiliated athletes for decades, denied them recognition, and now dares to mock a cricketing legend?” she said.