Congress spokesperson Shama Mohamed sparked controversy on Monday over her remarks about Indian cricket captain Rohit Sharma. In a now-deleted post on X, she called him “fat” and a “mediocre captain.”
“Rohit Sharma is fat for a sportsman! Needs to lose weight! And of course, the most unimpressive captain India has ever had!” she wrote
Mohamed later defended her statement, denying body-shaming allegations. “It was a generic tweet about the fitness of a sportsperson. It was not body-shaming,” she said. “I have the right. What is wrong in saying? It is a democracy.”
Who Is Shama Mohamed?
Shama Mohamed hails from Kannur, Kerala. A dentist by profession, she worked as a journalist before entering politics. She became a Congress spokesperson in 2015 and was appointed as a national media panellist in 2018.
According to media reports, Shama Mohamed completed her primary education at an Indian school in Kuwait before earning a Bachelor of Dental Surgery from Yenepoya Dental College, Mangaluru (1992-1997). She practiced dentistry for several years before transitioning to journalism.
Mohamed worked as a journalist with various mainstream media organisations before starting her political stint with the Indian National Congress. She was appointed as one of the national media panelists of Congress in 2018 and went on to become the party’s national spokesperson.
She is an active political figure in the Congress party’s cadre, appearing at several events and furthering the party’s narratives through various media and social media platforms.
The Congress party has distanced itself from Mohamed’s remarks and asked her to delete the post.