Union Sports Minister Vijay Goel's 'gaffe' marathon continues as he's termed a 'modern-day Gandhari' and 'insensitive' by Twitterati for batting blindfolded at an cricket event for the visually impaired
When 'insensitive' minister Vijay Goel was dubbed 'modern-day Gandhari'
Vijay Goel
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Union Sports Minister Vijay Goel has made it a habit to get roasted on social media for his goof-ups. From his 'pushy and rude' entourage had misbehaved with the Olympic 2016 organisers and flouted rules to mis-spelling Dipa Karmakar's name to taking sports tips from actor Suniel Shetty, the minister has been awarded a gold medal for his 'goof-up marathon' by Twitterati.
The Union Minister of Youth Affairs and Sports has once again landed in a fresh controversy after he blindfolded himself and swung a cricket bat with other officials present during an event to inaugurate the second Twenty20 World Cup for the Blind in New Delhi recently.
The Press Information Bureau released the photograph, and Twitterati got into the act.
Trolls targetted him for being insensitive towards the visually challenged. Some Twitterati even dubbed him a ‘Modern day Gandhari’ (Gandhari was the mother of the Kauravas in the epic Mahabharat, who despite being sighted had spent her life as a visually impaired after blindfolding herself as her husband, King Dhritarashtra, was blind.)
Sports Minister @VijayGoelBJP, at inauguration of 2nd T20 World Cup Championship for the blind pic.twitter.com/qj1um4PPBE
— PIB India (@PIB_India) January 29, 2017
Goel, who inaugurated the 2nd T20 World Cup Championship for the Blind on Sunday, tried to explain his actions. He said that he had been requested by the organisers to play blindfolded as an encouragement to the visually impaired players. He even tweeted a poster of the event which featured prominent cricket players – Virat Kohli, Gautam Gambhir, Ashish Nehra, Ajinkya Rahane, KL Rahul and Umesh Yadav – all blindfolded. But to no avail.
Dear @ShekharGupta & @BDUTT I was requested by @blind_cricket officials to play w/ the players in that way to encourage them. Also check pic pic.twitter.com/LTFcCHrzEm
— Vijay Goel (@VijayGoelBJP) January 30, 2017
The trigger-happy Twitterati didn't want any explanation, they only wanted blood (metaphorically speaking).
This is what they had to say:
In this Lutyens Kingdom of the Political Blind, one blindfolded is the king! Camera-crazy mantris can be foolish. But this is so insensitive https://t.co/bUot2Fw937
— Shekhar Gupta (@ShekharGupta) January 30, 2017
Er. Really. Is this the most sensitivity we can manage? https://t.co/Dv0FKcczv0
— barkha dutt (@BDUTT) January 30, 2017
@ShekharGupta Not good. Good intentions are not enough when you head the portfolio. @PIB_India @VijayGoelBJP
— Madhav Sathe (@madhav_sathe) January 30, 2017
@BDUTT @PIB_India @VijayGoelBJP
— Amarnath Singh (@captamarnath) January 30, 2017
Modern day Gaandhari.
@PIB_India @RoflGandhi_ @VijayGoelBJP me tere (sports ministry)kaabil hu yaa me tere kaabil nhi
— shailesh (@shail_rockstar) January 30, 2017
@ShekharGupta to be fair to @VijayGoelBJP, he couldn't have done any better with his eyes open either.
— Murugan Frimanyan (@1astknight) January 30, 2017
@BDUTT @PIB_India @VijayGoelBJP this is just so sad! There are ppl laughing in the background which is so sickening. Shud be sacked 4 this
— M Almoula (@MAlmoula5) January 30, 2017