Those comparing him to Willie and Fat Tony somehow missing the fact the issue is about race, which Americans are rightly very sensitive over given their history and present, although we should be just as sensitive given our history and present also (I know from experience on RAWK this is not the case the amount of stupid shite I've read).
The Simpsons being boss meant Apu has stood for plenty of positive things. But yeah, whole white guy doing a heavily exaggerated Indian accent while playing a character formed from a stereotype Asian immigrant is most definitely out of date. Suddenly writing him out would prob be the worst way to deal with it, but people who are uncomfortable with it are most definitely allowed to say they are uncomfortable with it.
White people voicing other ethnicity generally out of date I think in 2018. Even South Park had black guys voicing the black characters!