Randeep Hooda removed as ambassador of UN's environmental treaty over his 'joke' against Mayawati
Mumbai: Actor Randeep Hooda has been removed as the ambassador of Convention for the Conservation of Migratory Species of Wild Animals (CMS), United Nation's environmental treaty, following the controversy over his derogatory comments against Bahujan Samaj Party chief Mayawati.
Hooda has been under fire since Wednesday when a nine-year-old video of him making a "joke", which social media users termed casteist and sexist, went viral online.
The 43-second-clip from an event organised by a media house in 2012 resurfaced when a Twitter user shared it. The video has Hooda cracking a joke and then laughing along with the audience.
In a statement posted on its website, CMS said the organisation finds the comments in the video to be "offensive" and Hooda will no longer serve as the ambassador for them.
"The CMS Secretariat finds the comments made in the video to be offensive, and they do not reflect the values of the CMS Secretariat or the United Nations," the statement read.
"Mr. Hooda no longer serves as a CMS ambassador," it added.
The actor was appointed as the CMS Ambassador for Migratory Species in February 2020 for three years.
While CMS is a treaty of the United Nations, the statement clarified that it is separate from both the UN Secretariat and the UN Environment Programme and the only entity for which Hooda served as a brand ambassador was CMS.
The 44-year-old actor is facing a lot of criticism, both on and off internet, with many asking him to apologies for his remarks against the former chief minister of Uttar Pradesh.
On Friday, #ArrestRandeepHooda was trending as Twitter users demanded for legal action against the "Radhe" actor.
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Indigo crisis: Shivakumar urges Centre to act immediately, bring situation under control
Bengaluru (PTI): With large scale flight cancellations by Indigo airlines leaving passengers stranded, Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar on Saturday urged the Centre to act immediately and bring the situation under control.
He called the IndiGo fiasco a the direct result of the govt's monopoly model.
Taking to social media platform 'X', Shivakumar said India is witnessing the worst aviation meltdown in its history. "Thousands of flights cancelled - leaving our people stranded everywhere".
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"The IndiGo fiasco is the direct result of the govt's monopoly model. And as always, it is ordinary Indians who are paying the price," he said.
Shivakumar said that the Kempegowda International Airport in Bengaluru, which is India's 3rd busiest airport with nearly 40 million travellers a year, is in complete chaos.
"This is hurting families, businesses and our national reputation. I urge the Union Government to act immediately and bring this situation under control. Our people deserve better," he added.
Domestic carrier IndiGo cancelled over 800 flights on Saturday, the fifth day of the ongoing crisis, even as the government imposed a cap on airfares and directed the airline to process all refunds by Sunday evening.
