Elon Musk supported Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Priyanka Chaturvedi after she criticized British Prime Minister Keir Starmer‘s recent remarks. Starmer sparked controversy on Monday this week by using the term “Asian” in reference to a child sexual abuse scandal in England, which involved gangs of men of Pakistani heritage. Many people objected to the generic term “Asian” in this context. Priyanka Chaturvedi, a leader of the Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena, shared a post on microblogging site X (formerly Twitter), stating that these individuals involved should not be called “Asian,” but rather “Pakistani grooming gangs.”
She wrote: “Repeat after me, they aren’t ASIAN Grooming Gangs but PAKISTANI grooming gangs. Why should Asians take the fall for one absolute rogue nation?”. Musk echoed her view, backing her stance on the issue by replying to her post. He said ‘True’.
Keir Starmer first used the term Asian grooming gangs
The term “Asian grooming gangs” sparked controversy after British Prime Minister Keir Starmer used it to defend his record as Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) from 2008 to 2013. British Indian and Sikh leaders have argued that such terminology unfairly targets entire Asian communities, including Indians, Sri Lankans, and others, while the crimes are primarily associated with men of Pakistani heritage.
Starmer’s comments drew strong criticism from billionaire Elon Musk, who accused him of not addressing the systemic issues surrounding grooming gangs during his time in office.
What is Pakistani Grooming Gang scandal
The Pakistani Grooming Gang scandal refers to a series of incidents in the UK where predominantly Pakistani men were involved in the sexual exploitation and abuse of young girls, often from vulnerable communities. These gangs typically groomed and manipulated young girls, sometimes as young as 8 or 9, into sexual activities through coercion, manipulation, and abuse.
Investigations revealed that these grooming gangs often operated in groups and used tactics such as threats, drugs, and violence to control their victims. Many of the perpetrators were from Pakistani heritage, which contributed to the term “Pakistani grooming gangs.” The gangs operated in several English towns and cities including Rotherham, Rochdale, Oxford and Bristol, for almost four decades.
