A photo posted on Tuesday evening by Louisiana political blogger Lamar White Jr. created controversy online because it showed the state governor looking a lot whiter.
This is Bobby Jindal’s official portrait. Photo credit: Robin May of @theInd pic.twitter.com/QBzSsMOoYZ
— Lamar White, Jr (@CenLamar) February 3, 2015
Widely speculated to be a possible Republican candidate for the Presidential elections in 2016, the Louisiana governor was born in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, as Piyush Jindal. His parents had come to the United States from Punjab just six months before he was born. The difference in the colour tone was therefore bound to be noticed, particularly because it was so glaring.
This is Louisiana governor Bobby Jindal’s new official portrait, apparently, next to a photo of actual Bobby Jindal. pic.twitter.com/TkFwKsI0TX
— Alex von Tunzelmann (@alexvtunzelmann) February 3, 2015
Given the obvious change in the colour of Jindal’s skin, the back and forth on Twitter was intense till Jindal’s chief of staff, Kyle Plotkin, stepped in to tweet the actual ”official portrait”, accusing White of ”race-baiting.
Hey @CenLamar-that’s not the official portrait. Constituent loaned it.This 1’s official. Thx 4 ur race-baiting tweet pic.twitter.com/wx2SBY3ZBQ
— Kyle Plotkin (@kjplotkin) February 4, 2015
It turned out that the controversial photo that White tweeted was actually taken in 2011.
@CenLamar Pic shot in June 2011 in the 4th floor lobby. Portrait is right behind receptionist’s desk. It is unretouched!
— IND Media (@theInd) February 3, 2015
But, by then, #JindalPortrait started to trend in the US.
Obama’s #JindalPortrait pic.twitter.com/0vYd554W9E
— Jeremy White (@comicref) February 4, 2015
Wow, the #JindalPortrait. pic.twitter.com/MdIZIxwFlu — Pizza Nola (@PizzaNola) February 4, 2015
My #JindalPortrait. I think the artist captured me pretty well. pic.twitter.com/Vy9g4Ny3fX — Gabe Ortíz (@TUSK81) February 4, 2015
I just lightened my skin tone by the same amount Bobby Jindal did, resulting in this #jindalportrait: pic.twitter.com/OaVrLZYSyc — M.S. Bellows, Jr. (@msbellows) February 4, 2015
i dont get the fuss about bobby jindal’s portrait, i think it looks fine pic.twitter.com/ZPJh05KIK1
— Tracy Clayton (@brokeymcpoverty) February 3, 2015
Given the India connection, and the hot race button it pressed, Indian Twitter users too saw it as a perfect opportunity for ”Fair and Lovely” jokes.
Why are we so upset over Bobby Jindal white-o-fying himself when we’ve made fairness creams a best selling category in this country? — Kiran Manral. (@kiranmanral) February 4, 2015
Figured out what happened to Bobby Jindal’s portrait. Artist used the ”nude” colour tube. — Piali Roy (@PialiRoy) February 4, 2015
Alright, brown people. Who’s going to gently break the news to Bobby Jindal that he’s not really white? pic.twitter.com/Wao5gwT1YZ — Overrated Outcast (@over_rated) February 3, 2015
Now @BobbyJindal can live his ultimate dream! He’s finally become a white man & he didn’t even use #FairAndHandsome! pic.twitter.com/89LEfiCnQh
— Aseem Chhabra (@chhabs) February 4, 2015