Vijay Goel causes stir by blindfolding himself at cricket event for visually impaired

Twitter's most trolled minister is back and this time it's for his insensitive actions at an event for the visually impaired. He says he was asked to blindfold himself and play cricket , but should he have?

By: Riya |
January 31, 2017 10:07 am

It looks like Union minister of youth affairs and sports Vijay Goel is steadily becoming one of the most trolled ministers in PM Narendra Modi’s cabinet. He has been building up quite a reputation for himself when it comes to goofing up. Post his Twitter spat with Dangal actor Zaira Wasim just last week, Goel has landed himself in yet another controversy wherein he’s being trolled for being insensitive to the visually challenged.

How? Here’s the story:

On Sunday (January 29) he inaugurated the 2nd T20 World Cup Championship for the Blind. As part of the event, the minister blindfolded himself to play a bit of cricket. A photograph of the event was shared by PIB India on its Twitter handle, which shows a blindfolded Goel – surrounded by officials – swinging the bat. Soon, the minister was called out by the Twitterati for his insensitivity towards those who are blind. As people started pointing out the debacle, Twitterati lashed out at him and the trolling began:

This is the most absurd manner to promote the T20 World Cup! Shame on the organisers and also on @VijayGoelBJP https://t.co/s1TF5XX7wF

— Amit A. Pai (@amitpai87) January 31, 2017

If there's a prize for most embarrassing minister in Modi's government, Vijay Goel has to be among the top contenders. https://t.co/3sqjO4S5Fo

— Sadanand Dhume (@dhume) January 30, 2017

Ouch! This is so insensitive, what does @VijayGoelBJP think he's doing? And, sad, @PIB_India publicizing this https://t.co/3FM2jvAnOH

— Sunil Jain (@thesuniljain) January 30, 2017

And to add insult look at those morons , the babus laughing behind , doing @VijayGoelBJP 's chaplusi. Seriously insensitive & unacceptable pic.twitter.com/xvmcx7RopV

— Tehseen Poonawalla (@tehseenp) January 30, 2017

Sanghis are now eagerly waiting for @VijayGoelBJP to inaugurate the next Kamasutra conference in India https://t.co/QjkacQKi0Z

— Suryanarayan Ganesh (@gsurya) January 30, 2017

Wrong, dear minister. Pl think again. Big difference between a very sensitively done endorsement advt by cricketers & a minister's photo-op https://t.co/eMcHyn4yTv

— Shekhar Gupta (@ShekharGupta) January 31, 2017

He came out to defend himself by posting a picture of Indian cricketers doing the same and attempted to explain his actions by saying that he was requested to play in such a state as an encouragement to the visually impaired players.

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

I guess the controversy regarding @blind_cricket created by some was to diminish the impact of this positive & transparent move by our Govt. https://t.co/zVhJPJZuX2

— Vijay Goel (@VijayGoelBJP) January 30, 2017

He also took it upon himself to reply to the Twitter trolls:

Never seen you around! I'm sure you never raised this during previous govts. https://t.co/WYENanRjZm

— Vijay Goel (@VijayGoelBJP) January 30, 2017

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

Your tweet is in poor taste and an insult to our Divyang players. https://t.co/CJwwJGegMT

— Vijay Goel (@VijayGoelBJP) January 30, 2017

What are your thoughts on the minister’s actions?