BJP MP Udit Raj on Monday created a flutter after he tweeted that Jamaican sprinter Usain Bolt won nine gold medals at the Rio Olympic Games because he ate beef.
This sparked off a debate on social media since it was seen as a stand opposed to the BJP’s position on beef consumption, forcing Raj to clarify his statement.
Former IRS officer Raj, who had previously criticised cow vigilantism, subsequently came up with a series of posts on social media to state that his tweets were “not even remotely connected to advocate beef”. It was merely a reproduction of Bolt’s trainer’s statement, the Dalit leader said. Earlier in the day, Raj, national chairman of the All India Confederation of SC/ST Organisations, posted: “Usain Bolt of Jamaica was poor and trainer advised him to eat beef both the times and he scored 9 gold medals in Olympic”.
In the clarifications that followed, the MP went into a damage-control mode. “I intended to convey-players & society to look at ways to win in games rather blaming circumstances & Govt & eating is their choice,” one of his posts read.
He also said “our players should find out their own formula as per their circumstances as Bolt and his trainer found ways and means to win medals”.