Vivek Oberoi apologies for sharing 'crass' meme on Aishwarya, deletes tweet
Mumbai, May 21: Vivek Oberoi on Tuesday apologised for sharing a meme on actor Aishwarya Rai Bachchan's personal life and deleted the controversial tweet after being severely criticised on social media.
Oberoi, who reportedly dated the former Miss World in early 2000s, on Monday posted a meme on Twitter with three panels, one featuring him, another with Salman Khan and a third with Aishwarya's husband Abhishek and daughter Aaradhya.
The meme, a take on the 2019 Lok Sabha election, the results of which will be declared on Thursday, was called "crass" and "distasteful".
"Sometimes what appears to be funny and harmless at first glance to one, may not be so to others. I have spent the last 10 years empowering more than 2000 underprivileged girls. I can't even think of being disrespectful to any woman ever," he tweeted.
"Even if one woman is offended by my reply to the meme, it calls for remedial action. Apologies.. tweet deleted," the actor added.
On Monday night, responding to the controversy Oberoi told reporters that he had shared the meme because he found it funny and did not understand "why people are making a big deal about this."
"Someone sent me a creative meme where I was being made fun of. I just wrote, 'Ha ha,' and appreciated the other person. When someone makes fun of you, you should laugh and not take it so seriously.
"I even wrote there that there's nothing political about it. It's life and such things happen in life that you are with someone and then you move on in life," he said.
Social media was quick to blast the actor, who is currently promoting his upcoming film "PM Narendra Modi", over his "distasteful" tweet.
Bollywood actor Sonam Kapoor called the meme "disgusting and classless"' in a tweet while Urmila Matondkar, who is the Congress candidate from Mumbai North, called out Oberoi for not having the courtesy of pulling down the tweet despite criticism.
The National Commission for Women sent a notice to Oberoi, asking him to give an explanation for sharing the "insulting" and "misogynist" tweet.
Even if one woman is offended by my reply to the meme, it calls for remedial action. Apologies?? tweet deleted.
— Vivek Anand Oberoi (@vivekoberoi) May 21, 2019
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Primary accused in 96.6 pc POCSO cases were close acquaintances: NCRB
New Delhi (PTI): In 96.6 per cent of 44,126 cases of sexual abuse of minors, close acquaintances have emerged as the primary offenders, according to the latest data released by the NCRB.
In its report 'Crime in India 2024' released by the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB), 44,126 total cases have been registered under the Prevention of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act under Sections 4 and 6 which pertain to penetrative sexual assault on minors during the year across the country.
The figures present a grim picture as close acquaintances emerged as primary accused in 42,634 (around 96.6 per cent) of the 44,126 total cases falling in that category, according to the latest NCRB data.
The data shows that family members were involved in 3,658 cases, while family friends, neighbours, employers or other known persons were named in 16,668 cases.
The largest share came from friends, online friends or live-in partners acting on the pretext of marriage, with 22,308 cases.
Cases where the offender was unknown or not identified stood at mere 1,492, or 3.4 per cent of the total.
Among states, Tamil Nadu reported the highest number of POCSO cases at 5,320, followed by Maharashtra at 4,829 and Madhya Pradesh at 3,721. Uttar Pradesh was next with 3,671 cases.
In Union territories, Delhi accounted for the highest number of cases at 1,038, followed by Jammu and Kashmir at 228 and Puducherry at 82. The Andaman and Nicobar Islands reported 77 cases.
The data also shows that Andhra Pradesh, Arunachal Pradesh, Himachal Pradesh, Nagaland, Sikkim, Uttarakhand, Tripura and several Union territories, including Chandigarh, Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu, Lakshadweep, Ladakh and Puducherry, reported 100 per cent of cases involving known offenders.
