Masaba Gupta, daughter of the iconic West Indies cricketer Vivian Richards and actress Neena Gupta, responded to former Pakistan skipper and Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chairman Ramiz Raja’s laughter at a racist joke aimed at her parents.
Expressing her disappointment on X, previously Twitter, Gupta addressed Raja directly, criticising the lack of dignity in his behaviour and highlighting her dismay at witnessing him chuckle on national television at an outdated and offensive joke.
She urged Raja to evolve with the times, emphasizing the resilience she, her father, and her mother possess in the face of insensitive remarks.
“Dear Ramiz Raja (sir), grace is a quality few have. My father, mother, and I have it in abundance. You have none. It’s disheartening to witness you laugh on national TV in Pakistan at something the world stopped finding amusing about 30 years ago. Embrace the future. All three of us stand tall. #ramizraja,” she expressed.
Dear Ramiz Raja ( sir ) grace is a quality few have. My father,mother and I have it in spades. You have none. Sickening to see you laugh on national TV in Pakistan at something the world stopped laughing at about 30 years back.Step into the future. All 3 of us are here with our…
— Masaba (@MasabaG) November 15, 2023
The controversy stemmed from a video where a comedian made disparaging remarks about Vivian Richards’ skin tone, using the term ‘kaalia’ (meaning dark-skinned) in a derogatory manner. Despite the inappropriate nature of the comments, Raja and other guests on the show visibly found amusement in the offensive remarks.
Holy Hell ladies and gentlemen.
Look at the kind of discourse in a Pakistani news channel about Vivian Richards and Neena Gupta
And this clown Ramiz Raja @iramizraja is shamelessly laughing like an idiot over this pic.twitter.com/45aBz5rje4
— Sensei Kraken Zero (@YearOfTheKraken) November 14, 2023
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