An Argentinian TV station has found itself in hot water after its decision to use a picture of Apu from The Simpsons when covering the arrival of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the G20 that was held in Buenos Aires over the weekend.
It what was apparently intended as a joke, the broadcaster, Cronica TV, displayed the image of the animated character next to the plane carrying Modi, with the headline “Llego Apu (Apu Arrives)” displayed beneath.
The Simpsons character has come under a great deal of scrutiny in recent times for being an offensive and racist stereotype of Indian men which consequently led the show’s creators to drop the character altogether.
Social media reaction to the Cronica stunt was naturally swift but equally divisive. Many pundits calling it out as racist, while others defended the producer’s decision, agreeing that it was meant to be in the name of fun.
Check out the social media storm below:
