Bollywood actress Shilpa Shetty Kundra has issued a public apology after a FIR was lodged against her and Bollywood superstar Salman Khan for allegedly using the word “bhangi” on a public platform that hurt the sentiments of the Scheduled Caste community.
“Some of my words from an interview in the past have been misinterpreted. It was never said with the intent of hurting anyone’s feelings. I apologise if they have. I’m proud to belong to a country that boasts of diverse castes and creeds and I respect each one of them,” Shilpa tweeted.
Some of my words from an interview in the past have been misinterpreted.It was never said with the intent of hurting anyone’s feelings…
— SHILPA SHETTY KUNDRA (@TheShilpaShetty) December 23, 2017
I apologize if they have. I’m proud to belong to a country that boasts of diverse castes and creeds and I respect each one of them.??
— SHILPA SHETTY KUNDRA (@TheShilpaShetty) December 23, 2017
The FIR was lodged against Salman and Shilpa on Saturday at Andheri Police station by Rojgar Aghari Republican Party of India General Secretary Navin Ramchandra Lade.
“We highly condemn Salman Khan and Shilpa Shetty for using such words that show us in bad light. We have filed a complaint. According to law, he has to serve an imprisonment of five years,” Rojgar Aghari Republican Party of India Vice President Kishore Masoom said after the FIR was lodged.
On Saturday, a statement was also issued by Lade’s lawyer, which read: “Salman along with Katrina Kaif on a TV show used the insulting word ‘bhangi’ against a member of the Scheduled Caste. Actor Shilpa Shetty stated in an interview ‘I look like a bhangi’ – it appears from her statement that she is encouraging and spreading ill-feeling among the entire society. He also intentionally insulted members of the Scheduled Caste. Both actors have committed offence under sections of the Scheduled Castes and the Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Amendment Act, 2015, and Protection of Civil Rights Act, 1955.”
Khan had used the word to describe the way he danced, while Shetty used the word to describe how she looks when she is at home.
