Randeep Hooda removed as the CMS ambassador after facing flak for an offensive video

Randeep Hooda. File Pic/Yogen Shah

Recently, a 2021 video in which Randeep Hooda was seen making derogatory comments against Bahujan Samaj Party chief Mayawati went viral. The 43-second clip from an event organised by a media house in nine years ago resurfaced when a Twitter user shared it. In the video, Hooda cracks a joke, being castigated as casteist and sexist, and is seen laughing along with the audience. The video has attracted hundreds of comments on social media with many criticising and asking the actor to apologise.

On Thursday, the Secretariat of the Convention for the Conservation of Migratory Species of Wild Animals (CMS) in a statement released announced that Randeep Hooda no longer serves as a CMS ambassador. They condemn the comments made in the video and also stated that it doesn't reflect the values of the CMS Secretariat or the United Nations.

The statement said, "The Secretariat of the Convention for the Conservation of Migratory Species of Wild Animals (CMS) has become aware of a video clip of CMS Ambassador Randeep Hooda from around 2012 that was recently posted on social media. The CMS Secretariat finds the comments made in the video to be offensive, and they do not reflect the values of the CMS Secretariat or the United Nations. Mr. Hooda was appointed as a CMS Ambassador for Migratory Species in February 2020 due to his support for the conservation of wildlife. The CMS Secretariat was unaware of the 2012 video at that time. While CMS is a treaty of the United Nations, it is separate from both the UN Secretariat and the UN Environment Programme. The only entity for which Mr. Hooda served as a brand Ambassador was CMS. Mr. Hooda no longer serves as a CMS ambassador."

Recently, actors Yuvika Chaudhary and Munmun Dutta received flak on social media for using casteist slurs in their videos. Dutta was also booked by police in Hansi, Haryana and Indore, Madhya Pradesh for the same.

Also Read: Netizens slam Yuvika Choudhary for using casteist slur in her Vlog