What did Raghav Juyal tell Guwahati contestant Gunjan Singha on Dance Deewane 3?
Reality television host Raghav Juyal is being criticised for a racist comment at Assamese contestant Gunjan Singha on the show Dance Deewane 3. A small clip from the dance show went viral across all social media platforms, in which Raghav can be seen introducing the six-year-old Gunjan with a gibberish comment allegedly meant to be the 'Chinese language'. In his introduction, Raghav uses words like ‘momo’ and ‘chow mein’ and mentioned it as the Chinese language.
FIRST, TAKE A LOOK AT THE VIRAL VIDEO:
Racism!@TheRaghav_Juyal introducing Gunjan Sinha of Assam in #DanceDeewane3 of @ColorsTV with "Momo", "Chinese" and celebs like @remodsouza, @MadhuriDixit have no objection in it.People of Assam is not Chinese, yet such shows always do racism comments.When will it stop? pic.twitter.com/cOTA8s8nvy
— Ron Bikash Gaurav (@RonBikashGaurav) November 15, 2021
WHAT IRKED PEOPLE? This viral video sparked controversy over the racist comment. Many social media users demanded action against the television host and questioned, “When will this racism stop?”
Incidents of discrimination and attack against people from the Northeast are not exactly uncommon in other parts of the country. Objectionable words like "Chinese", "Chinki", "Momo", etc., are used by many insensitive people to poke fun at people from the Northeast. So, when similar words were used on national television, ostensibly for 'fun', it was bound to leave people angry.
The incident also grabbed the attention of Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma. He took to Twitter to write, “This is shameful and totally unacceptable. Racism has no place in our country and we should all condemn it unequivocally.”
It has come to my notice that a popular reality show host has used racist rhetoric against a young participant from Guwahati. This is shameful and totally unacceptable. Racism has no place in our country and we should all condem it unequivocally.
— Himanta Biswa Sarma (@himantabiswa) November 16, 2021
WHAT RAGHAV SAID: After this, Raghav shared a video on Instagram and clarified his part. “A small clip went viral from the show and everyone is calling me racist. People are judging me based on a small clip which is not good for my mental health and people around me.”
He went on to place things in context. Gunjan had told them in the first episode, “I can speak Chinese.” Not the language exactly, but gibberish Chinese, and they later continued to use it as a fun element on the show.
“I am very much connected with the North-eastern part of the country. I have my family in Sikkim and Arunachal Pradesh,” he mentioned in the video. He also added that he has always stood against racism. He apologised for the misunderstanding and he requested the viewers to watch the complete show.
View this post on Instagram
SUPPORT FROM FANS: After his explanatory video, a fan page of the TV presenter shared the initial clip in which the little girl said that speaking Chinese is one of her hobbies. Raghav reposted this video on his Twitter and Instagram handles.
His fans all across the nation re-shared the same and supported him.
This is what happened actually @ColorsTV #raghavjuyal #RaghavJuyal pic.twitter.com/sGUz6PlVOx
— Raghav Juyal (@TheRaghav_Juyal) November 16, 2021
REACTIONS FROM THE OTHER SIDE: Many Twitter users are still upset with the television host and call this justification video "insufficient." Many also requested Assam Police to take strict action against Raghav.
Zara si bhi sharm nahi hai justifying his act.. Please sir @himantabiswa @assampolice take action ..
— सत्येंद्र (@Byomkes99812774) November 16, 2021
You should be sensitive, Don't be an xenophobic. Don't insult others language, culture and traditional value.... Thank you?
— jayanta nath (@jayanta1216) November 16, 2021
Doesn't give you right to be racist.
— Jatin D. (@jatind3) November 17, 2021