Many have slammed Cronica TV for calling PM Modi the controversial character Apu. (Photo courtesy: Fox Broadcasting Company/Reuters)

Prime Minister Narendra Modi's arrival in Argentina for the G20 summit was marred by racist overtones after a local news channel used controversial animated character Apu to mark Modi's visit.

Argentinian channel Cronica TV used the character from the American show The Simpsons to announce that PM Modi had arrived in the country. They used the headline "Apu Arrives" as PM Modi reached Buenos Aires for the international summit.

Argentine TV outlet @CronicaTV displays this racist image with the headline Apu Arrived as India Prime Minister @narendramodi arrives in Buenos Aires for the #G20. pic.twitter.com/oNqZVpS4E5 Patrick Gillespie (@Pat_Gillespie) November 29, 2018



The show has faced criticism from Indian fans who feel that the character promotes offensive stereotypes, particularly because he is voiced by white actor Hank Azaria.

Social media users reacted negatively to the comparison, with many criticising the channel for the racist overtones of the headline.

This Channel is a joke even here in Argentina, we truly apologize for this discriminatory joke and you people from India are totally welcome if you want to laugh at our president, even if he is a joke himself. pic.twitter.com/Ylb5KJyHie f e d e (@fede_arroyo) November 30, 2018

This typecasting and stereotyping of people not in your country is what causes racial bias and hence racial problems. I’ll take it as a joke, but anyone with no context would only be figuring it out the wrong way. Harigarakumar V (@harigarakumarv) November 30, 2018

.@cronicatv @cronica is our most embarrasing and yellow media outlet managed by kirchnerist idiots @pat_gillespie, all respect to @narendramodi. November 30, 2018

What bright spark thought that was acceptable?



Modi's arrival at the G20 summit 'announced with Apu meme' https://t.co/2kyQPB7xhX https://t.co/2kyQPB7xhX #MockTheRight - https://t.co/UPs05rjv9V Mock The Right (@Mock_The_Right) December 1, 2018

Truely racist and insulting!! #G20Summit2018

Argentinian channel Cronica TV issues bizarre welcome to Narendra Modi, claims 'Apu Arrived' as PM arrives in Buenos Aires - Firstpost https://t.co/MqDKeVbZOi Syed Suhaib Ahmed (@SYEDSUHAIB) November 30, 2018

Anyone saying that this is funny is as garbage a human being as whoever ok'd this 'announcement' of #Modi to the #G20. And - I'm not gonna buy into ignorance as an excuse to not know that even Apu's voiceover actor denounced his portrayal - Google it... dangermouth (@madavis323) November 30, 2018

Indian-origin comedian Hari Kondabolu, who made a film about the negative influence of Apu, also expressed his disgust.

PM Modi arrived in Buenos Aires on Thursday to take part in the G20 summit during which he will have several bilateral meetings, including with Chinese President Xi Jinping and a historic trilateral meeting with US President Donald Trump and Japan's Prime Minister Shinzo Abe.