Former Pakistani cricketer and ex-chair of the Pakistan Cricket Board, Ramiz Raja, is facing criticism for his reaction to a racist joke concerning West Indies cricket icon Sir Viv Richards and Indian actor Neena Gupta.
The incident occurred during the show ‘Cricket Mastiyan’ on Suno News HD, where Raja was seen laughing at a distasteful and racist ‘joke’ made about the interracial couple. The joke in question, made by an actor impersonating Bushra Ansari, ridiculed the relationship between Richards and Gupta, prompting backlash for its insensitivity.
Masaba Gupta, the daughter of Viv Richards and Neena Gupta, took to social media to express her disdain for Raja’s actions.
On Twitter and Instagram, she criticized Raja for lacking grace and for laughing at a racist comment that is unacceptable in modern times. Her Instagram story further emphasized her willingness to confront racism and shaming of her mother on television. Masaba’s strong stance reflects a broader societal move towards intolerance of racial prejudice and public shaming.
Background of the Richards-Gupta Relationship
The romantic link between Viv Richards and Neena Gupta dates back to the 1980s, with their daughter, Masaba, born in 1989. Gupta, who raised Masaba in India as a single mother, faced societal challenges due to the nature of their relationship.
The recent controversy in Pakistan adds to a series of inappropriate remarks by Pakistani cricketers, including Abdul Razzaq’s recent comments involving Aishwarya Rai Bachchan. While Razzaq issued an apology, albeit seen as insufficient, Raja has yet to publicly address the incident or respond to Masaba’s criticism.
This was a racist joke, shouldn’t have gone on air but to blame Ramoz for this is totally nonsense .
He had nothing to do with it. He was put on spot by this dumb artist. Sometimes yiu can’t react properly and fast enough. That’s all it is