Manasi Joshi slammed Harbhajan and fellow cricketers for mocking people with disabilities in an Instagram reel. (Instagram)
Para-badminton star Manasi Joshi has slammed cricketers Harbhajan Singh and Suresh Raina for hurting the sentiments of people with physical disabilities in an Instagram reel.
Harbhajan was recently part of the India Champions team that won the World Championship of Legends tournament for retired cricketers, beating Pakistan Champions on Saturday in Edgbaston.
Following the win Harbhajan shared a video on Sunday in which the former India spinner, teammates Yuvraj Singh, Raina and Gurkeerat Singh Mann, are seen limping while grooving to the latest Bollywood chartbuster, Tauba Tauba. “Body ki Tauba Tauba ho Gayi in 15 days legends cricket. Every part of the body is sore,” Harbhajan wrote as he tagged Vicky Kaushal and Karan Aujla, the original song’s actor and singer, on the post.
Manasi, a former world no. 1 in her SL3 badminton category, criticised the cricketers’ for mocking the gait patterns of people with disability in a comment on Harbhajan’s post.
“Wanted more responsibility from the stars that you all are, please do not mock at the gait patterns of people with disabilities. This isn’t funny
“You don’t know how much harm your behaviour can do. The appreciation you’re getting from people around is appalling to see. This reel of yours is going to encourage that it is ok to make fun of the walking patterns of people with disabilities for a few laughs. More young children with disabilities will be bullied by using this reel. If any of you athletes would have done responsible community service in disability space area, you all would not have come up with this reel. I’m scared how the PR agencies of these athletes approved this reel for public platform,” Manasi lamented.
“I’m really disappointed in you @harbhajan3 @sureshraina3 and all the people in the comments section who are appropriating this reel,” Manasi added.
“This isn’t legendary if you’re mocking gait patterns of people with polio. This will enable bullying on young children with disabilities in India,” Manasi added in another comment on the video which has gained over 20 million views and 1.5 million likes.
Manasi, currently ranked fourth in the world, bagged the 2019 World Championship gold medal in women’s singles. She is slated to represent India in the upcoming Paris Paralympics para badminton, to be held at the Porte de La Chapelle Arena in Paris from August 29 to September 2.
