Netizens demand Randeep Hooda's arrest over 'casteist' joke on Mayawati as outrage grows

Amid actors like Munmun Dutta and Yuvika Chaudhry issuing apologies for using casteist slurs, some old statements by celebrities are also landing them in trouble. After Abish Mathew, Randeep Hooda has been receiving flak for a ‘joke’ on former Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Mayawati.  Netizens have now demanded that the actor be arrested for his remark.

Netizens trend #ArrrestRandeepHooda

The throwback video of Randeep Hooda’s statement at a event from some years ago has been going viral with netizens calling it ‘casteist’, ‘sexist’ and ‘misogynist.’ The actor, at a stage comprising other speakers, talks about a ‘dirty joke’, before seemingly making fun of the appearance of Mayawati, who is among the most notable Dalit leaders of the country.

As more and more netizens condemned the act, the momentum against Randeep continued for another day as trends like #ArresteRandeepHooda and #ArrestRandeepHooda became talking points on Twitter.

Netizens called him ‘racist and casteist’, ‘deeply inhuman’ and slammed him for ‘fallen mindset’, and sought that he be ‘taken to  task’ and be arrested.

Randeep is yet to come out with a statement on the controversy, unlike Abish Mathew, who issued an apology. The Once Upon A time in Mumbaai star, however, shared one post, a photo of a tiger, and wrote, 'No matter how fast you run, no matter where you hide, I will catch you', which was considered as a cryptic post amid the controversy.

On the professional front, Randeep recently starred in Radhe: Your Most Wanted Bhai. He played the role of an antagonist in the action movie. The actor has also been raising awareness on COVID-19 related resources like oxygen supply amid the ongoing second wave of the pandemic.