PM Modi Compared to Apu from ‘The Simpsons’ in a Racist Jibe

The racist comparison did not go down well with netizens.

Prominent world leaders made their way to Argentina to attend the G20 Summit being held in the capital city of Buenos Aires. With the global media watching, Argentinian television channel Cornica TV was criticised for their welcome of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Argentine TV outlet @CronicaTV displays this racist image with the headline “Apu Arrived” as India Prime Minister @narendramodi arrives in Buenos Aires for the #G20. pic.twitter.com/oNqZVpS4E5

— Patrick Gillespie (@Pat_Gillespie) November 29, 2018

The TV channel compared the Indian PM to a character from the popular cartoon The Simpsons called Apu Nahasapeemapetilon. Apu happens to be an Indian immigrant in the TV show, who owns and runs a popular general store in the town of Springfield.

.@cronicatv @cronica is our most embarrasing and yellow media outlet managed by kirchnerist idiots @pat_gillespie, all respect to @narendramodi.

— Apu 🌱🔬💚 (@Apuntes_) November 30, 2018

Netizens were quick to pick up the racist jibe. Many condemned the comparison and called the act ‘disgusting’ and ‘unwarranted’.

Disgusting. He's representing a billion people there. This is unwarranted. https://t.co/vTxVE1BwL9

— My Gotra Rocks 😎 (@brumbyoz) November 30, 2018

This couldn’t be true, right? https://t.co/xiEzNgpXip

— Hari Kondabolu (@harikondabolu) November 30, 2018

Anyone saying that this is funny is as garbage a human being as whoever ok'd this 'announcement' of #Modi to the #G20. And - I'm not gonna buy into ignorance as an excuse to not know that even Apu's voiceover actor denounced his portrayal - Google it...🙄😒

— dangermouth (@madavis323) November 30, 2018

Many also claimed that this was not the first time that Cornica TV had been guilty of broadcasting racist and discriminatory content on their channel.

This typecasting and stereotyping of people not in your country is what causes racial bias and hence racial problems. I’ll take it as a joke, but anyone with no context would only be figuring it out the wrong way.

— Harigarakumar V (@harigarakumarv) November 30, 2018

What do you think of the incident? Let us know in the comments below.