Assam CM Himanta calls out dance reality show for racism, host issues clarification

GUWAHATI: Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma has criticised the host of a television reality show for introducing a contestant from the state with words such as “momo” and “chowmein” and speaking “gibberish Chinese”.

“It has come to my notice that a popular reality show host has used racist rhetoric against a young participant from Guwahati. This is shameful and totally unacceptable,” Sarma tweeted.

Stating that racism has no place in the country, he insisted everyone should condemn it unequivocally.

A clip of Colors TV’s “Dance Deewane 3” has gone viral, triggering outrage on social media. The contestant is a little girl, Gunjan Sinha, from Guwahati.

Cricketer Riyan Parag, who too is a Guwahati lad, tweeted, “Assam is very much in India as any other state. No hate to this man but these comparisons need to stop. Jai Hind. Joi Axom,” he wrote on the micro-blogging site.

Twitter was flooded with comments with the netizens slamming the presenter for his alleged “hate” and “racist” remarks.

“It’s 2021, but the #racist Indians still practicing Chinese ‘momo’, ‘ching chong, #racism as a comic element on their national television with their #bollywood celebs applauding it,” a user C Thounaojam wrote.

Meanwhile, Juyal asked his critics to watch the previous episodes of the show before judging him.

“A clip has gone viral with people calling me racist. I want them to watch the entire show and then judge me. Judging me based on the small clip will not be good for my mental health and for those who know me,” Juyal, who introduces himself on Twitter as an actor, dancer, entertainer, nature lover, dreamer and creator, said.

“We usually ask children about their hobbies when they come to participate. Gunjan said she can speak Chinese. We used to laugh but she kept speaking gibberish from thereon. In that particular episode, I had addressed her the way she does,” he said.