A police complaint has been filed against former cricketers Yuvraj Singh, Harbhajan Singh, Suresh Raina, and Gurkeerat Mann. They are accused of making fun of people with disabilities in a video posted on Instagram.
Arman Ali, the executive director of the National Centre for Promotion of Employment for Disabled People (NCPEDP), filed the complaint at the Amar Colony police station.
The complaint also targets Sandhya Devanathan, the Vice President and Managing Director of Meta India, because Instagram, owned by Meta, allowed the video to be posted.
The police have received the complaint and will send it to the cyber cell for further investigation. The video was shared by the cricketers after India Champions beat Pakistan Champions in a match.
In the video, Yuvraj Singh, Harbhajan Singh, and Raina are seen limping and holding their backs, joking about the physical strain of the matches.
The video’s caption mentioned their bodies were sore and humorously compared their condition to a dance. Disability activists found the video offensive. The National Platform for the Rights of the Disabled called it disgraceful.
The complaint stated that Instagram violated its guidelines by allowing the video. It also claimed the video violated Article 21 of the Indian Constitution, which guarantees the right to life with dignity, and breached Section 92 of the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act, 2016. The Supreme Court’s guidelines in a related case were also mentioned.
Arman Ali urged the authorities to take action and hold the individuals accountable. He said an apology from the cricketers would not be enough; they should be penalized for their actions.
