BSP MLA demands arrest of Randeep Hooda over 9-yr-old comment against party chief Mayawati

Senior BSP (Bahujan Samaj Party) leader and MLA Umashankar Singh on Saturday demanded immediate arrest of Bollywood actor Randeep Hooda over his alleged objectionable comments against party supremo Mayawati. This latest development comes after a video clip of Randeep Hooda making the remarks 8 years ago resurfaced. The BSP MLA demanded strict action against Randeep Hooda. 

While speaking to reporters, Umashankar Singh said, "The BSP leader is revered by crores of people in the country and actor Randeep Hooda has hurt their sentiments by making such humiliating remarks."

The Bollywood actor is presently facing a social media storm over the 9-year-old video, in which he is seen making derogatory comments against BSP Chief Mayawati. The 43-second clip from an event organised by a media house in 2012 resurfaced when a Twitter user shared it. 

Netizens trend #ArrrestRandeepHooda

The throwback video of Randeep Hooda’s statement at an 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.

Randeep Hooda removed as UN treaty CMS ambassador

In the wake of Randeep Hooda’s ‘casteist’ comments on former Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Mayawati in an old video, the actor has been removed as the Ambassador of the Conservation of Migratory Species of Wild Animals (CMS). The United Nations treaty stated that it had become aware of the 2012 video clip and termed it as ‘offensive.’

The organisation stated that it was unaware of the comments made at that time, when the appointment of Hooda for his support for the conservation of wildlife had taken place in February 2020. It stated that it did not reflect the values of the CMS Secretariat or the United Nations. 

(Image: PTI, Instagram-Randeep Hooda)