'Looks like Chinese': Why is YouTuber Paras Singh under fire?
The Arunachal Pradesh government filed a case against a social media influencer from Punjab for his alleged racial remarks against a Congress MLA, and 'ill will towards the people of the state'.
Paras Singh, who goes by the name 'Paras Official' on his YouTube channel, had in a video posted on Sunday termed Congress MLA Ninong Ering a 'non-Indian' and apparently claimed the 'state was a part of China', sparking furore among Arunchalees as well as people from other parts of the country.
Singh, who was arrested in Ludhiana on Tuesday, was apparently incensed with Ering after the Congress MLA wrote a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, asking for a ban on the re-launch of PUBG Mobile India's new avatar Battlegrounds Mobile India.
Requested @PMOIndia @narendramodi ji to not allow Chinese deception #BattlegroundsMobileIndia. It is a big threat to security of India & privacy of our citizens and a way to circumvent & disregard our laws.@AmitShah #IndiaBanBattlegrounds #NationFirst #AatmaNirbharBharat @ANI pic.twitter.com/H8nzUJ4aRk
— Ninong Ering (@ninong_erring) May 22, 2021
The former MP also had said, “re-launching the game was a mere illusion and a trick to collect user data of the citizens, including children and transfer it to foreign companies and the Chinese government.”
Singh did not spare the state of Arunachal Pradesh as well in his abominable video. According to the translation by EastMojo, the YouTuber said, "Arre yaar yeh (Arunachal) to China ki side me hai (guys this is on China's side)" and adds, "yeh China walon ka hi hai (It belongs to the people of China)" before saying "ek tarah se unhi k saath hi hai halka fulka touch hota hai, India me aata hai (in a way they are with them "Arunachal is with China" it touches India a little)." (Firstpost)
In yet another video since then, he has apologised for his comments.
However, there has been huge backlash post his apology video as well, with many saying that his so-called "apology" was only to complete a "formality" to pacify the anger against him.
At one point during the apology video, he says, "What else can I do? Should I hang myself?"
In a QUINT report, speaking to EastMojo, Ering said the “immature” comments made by Singh have not hurt him personally.
“He is free to point out mistakes, if any, but the racist remarks are serious and something that needs re-thinking,” Ering said.
An FIR was registered on the basis of a complaint filed by Ering.
Arunachal Pradesh CM Pema Khandu said a case has been registered against Singh under s 124A/ 153A/ 505(2) of the IPC. Taking to Twitter, Khandu said: “Social media account of the person is being thoroughly investigated for details about his activities. Technical resources are being employed to gather his current whereabouts. Use of social media should be with due caution and any infringement will lead to action as per law.”
Filmmaker Amar Kaushik, known for movies 'Stree' and 'Bala', was the first from film industry to criticise Singh for his remarks.
'Being ignorant about your country and its region is stupidity in itself, but when that ignorance is expressed in an offensive manner, it becomes toxic. We all need to call out and condemn such ignorance in one voice and make all idiots understand that IT IS NOT ACCEPTABLE ANYMORE,' he wrote on his Instagram Stories.
Varun Dhawan and Kriti Sanon, who stars in Kaushik's upcoming movie 'Bhediya', which was shot in Arunachal Pradesh, shared the filmmaker's post on their respective Instagram Stories. 'Having spent so much time in Arunachal Pradesh, it's time we educate ourselves and others about how wrong this is,' Dhawan wrote.
Sanon said it is high time people start respecting every individual of the country with 'equal respect'.
'What's wrong with people!! It's high time we treat every individual and every region of our country with equal respect. A Thank you for talking about this @amarkaushik,' she wrote in her post.
Ludhiana Police, under close monitoring of Arunachal Police, arrested him after tracing his whereabouts. He was also charged with inciting ill will and hatred towards the people of the northeastern state.
(Inputs from PTI, The Quint, India Today, Firstpost and EastMojo)
