Former Indian greats Harbhajan Singh and Suresh Raina have issued an apology after facing backlash for a video that seemingly mocked differently-abled individuals. The video, which went viral after the World Championship of Legends 2024 final, showed Harbhajan, Yuvraj Singh, and Suresh Raina limping and imitating a “funny” walk, similar to how differently challenged people walk.
Harbhajan & Raina didn’t want to hurt sentiments
In response to the criticism, Harbhajan Singh took to social media to clarify their intentions and apologize for any hurt caused. He wrote, “We didn’t want to hurt anyone’s sentiments. We respect every individual and community. This video was just to reflect our sore bodies after playing continuous cricket for 15 days.” Suresh Raina, who also featured in the video, reshared Bhajji’s post and uploaded the same post on his Instagram as well.
Harbhajan and Raina emphasized that their intention was not to insult or offend anyone and apologized if their actions were perceived otherwise. His apology is a shows the importance of being mindful of our actions and their impact on others, especially when you are massive public figures.
Even India’s Para badminton player Manasi Joshi criticized the cricketers for their insensitivity, stating that their actions were offensive and disrespectful towards specially-abled individuals. While the video may have been intended as a lighthearted moment, it’s essential to recognize the power of language and actions in perpetuating harmful stereotypes or stigmatization.
