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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ED raids Karnataka Cong MLA Satish Krishna Sail, others in illegal iron ore export case
Bengaluru (PTI): The Enforcement Directorate on Wednesday raided premises linked to Karnataka Congress MLA Satish Krishna Sail and some others as part of a money laundering investigation against the legislator in a case related to alleged illegal export of iron ore, official sources said.
At least 15 premises in Karnataka, Goa and Mumbai are being searched under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), the sources said.
Sail is a Congress MLA representing the Karwar assembly constituency in Uttara Kannada district.
Sail, according to the sources, has been accused of exporting illegally mined iron ore which was seized by forest officials at Belekeri port in Karwar, Karnataka.
This caused "loss" to government exchequer for an amount of about Rs 38 crore but the actual value of illegally exported ore is worth hundreds of crores of rupees, the sources said.
The case originated from a 2010 probe by the Karnataka Lokayukta, which discovered about eight lakh tons of illegally transported iron ore from Bellary to Belekeri port.
The Karnataka High Court last year had ordered the suspension of the seven-year prison sentence of the MLA in this case.
A special court had previously found Sail and others guilty in multiple cases related to the illegal export of iron ore from the Belekeri port.
