Harbhajan Singh Says Sorry And Removes Video Mocking Disabilities Amid Backlash

A reel uploaded on Instagram by former cricketers Harbhajan Singh, Yuvraj Singh, and Suresh Raina allegedly mocking people with disabilities sparked outrage on social media, leading to a police complaint against them.

After winning the World Championship of Legends against Pakistan, the former players posted a video imitating a viral Bollywood song "Tauba Tauba" to celebrate their victory. However, their actions appeared to mock people with disabilities, drawing widespread criticism.

Amidst the backlash, Harbhajan Singh apologised on 'X' and deleted the video. He stated: "Just wanted to clear to our people who are complaining about our recent videos of Tauba Tauba on social media after winning the championship here in England. We didn't want to hurt anyone's sentiments. We respect every individual and community. And this video was just to reflect on our bodies after playing continuous cricket for 15 days. SORE bodies."

"We are not trying to insult or offend anyone. Still, if people think we have done something wrong… All I can say from my side is SORRY to everyone... plz let's stop this here and move forward," he added.

The Indian Paralympic community expressed their discontent with the video. Indian para-swimmer Shams Alam called the act unacceptable and shared his disappointment that the players couldn't understand how hurtful it was for them.

Badminton player Manasi Joshi also criticised the video, urging the players to be more responsible in their actions. She commented, "This isn't legendary if you're mocking the gait patterns of people with polio. This will enable bullying of young children with disabilities in India. You don't know how much harm your behaviour can do."

Paralympic India labelled the video as "disgusting and insensitive" and demanded apologies from the players, calling their actions a "form of discrimination."

Legal Actions

A police complaint was lodged by Arman Ali, Executive Director of the National Centre for Promotion of Employment for Disabled People (NCPEDP). He stated: "This video is a blatant violation of Article 21 of the Constitution of India… It also breaches Section 92 of the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act, 2016." Ali also mentioned that an apology from Harbhajan Singh would not suffice and that they should face penalties for their actions.

Ravi Chauhan, General Secretary of DCCI (Differently Abled Cricket Council), mentioned that he spoke with Harbhajan Singh regarding this issue. The spinner apologised immediately and promised to delete the video, which he did.

The incident has highlighted the need for greater sensitivity towards individuals with disabilities and has sparked discussions about responsible behaviour from public figures.