A scandal involving former Indian cricket players Yuvraj Singh, Harbhajan Singh, Suresh Raina, and Gurkeerat Mann has surfaced shortly after India Champions defeated Pakistan Champions in the World Championship of Legends 2024.
Social media users and advocacy organisations including the National Platform for the Rights of the Disabled (NPRD) and the National Centre for Promotion of Employment for Disabled People (NCPEDP) reacted negatively to their controversial post-victory party.
The NCPEDP has reportedly lodged a police complaint at the Amar Colony police station in New Delhi, citing the “insulting and mocking” depiction of those with disabilities in the video that has gone popular on the internet, as per recent reports published by The Hindu.
“Everything about this performance has been done as light entertainment. The complaint, filed by the executive director of the NCPEDP, Arman Ali, continued, “We also want to register this complaint against Sandhya Devanathan, the Vice President and Managing Director of Meta India, as the platform is also in violation of the Information Technology Act of 2000 by allowing such content to be posted on their platform, Instagram, which is violating user guidelines.”
“Ali wrote that the video violates both Section 92 of the Rights of Person with Disabilities Act, 2016 and Article 21 of the Indian Constitution, which guarantees every person the right to live with dignity,” requesting that “these anti-social elements” be subject to the necessary and proper action.
Also Read: Yuvraj, Harbhajan, and Raina are under fire for reportedly making fun of people with disabilities in a viral dance video
Reactions on social media were mixed, with some defending the celebration behaviours of the cricketers as harmless humour. But a number of people, including the eminent para-badminton champion Manasi Joshi, chastised the cricketers, pointing out that they should have known better considering the delicate nature of the subject and criticising their juvenile and carefree celebrations.
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