The Hindu : Front Page : Shilpa Shetty row: British police step in

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Thursday, Jan 18, 2007
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Shilpa Shetty row: British police step in

Hasan Suroor

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LONDON: Police on Wednesday stepped into the escalating row over the racist bullying of Bollywood star Shilpa Shetty on Channel 4's Celebrity Big Brother show after it emerged that her housemates had received "threatening" e-mails.

At least four of Ms. Shetty's housemates have been accused of bullying, which included calling her "Paki," mocking her accent, saying she wanted to be "white," sniggering at her cooking, asking her whether she lived in a "shack," refusing to call her by her name, and referring to her as "the Indian."

Ms. Shetty, who entered the Big Brother House earlier this month "hoping" to keep her "self-respect and dignity" intact, has been reduced to tears in the past few days. She asked: "Why do they hate me?'' Channel 4 said it was taking the issue seriously, but insisted that Ms. Shetty had not voiced any concerns herself.

As angry Indian viewers continued to flood the media watchdog, Ofcom (Office of Communications), and Channel 4 with complaints, a police spokesman said: "We can confirm Hertfordshire Constabulary have been made aware of two e-mails that have been received by the television studios that contain unspecified threats against a number of the housemates."

It is wrong: Blair

Prime Minister Tony Blair on Wednesday joined the growing condemnation of racism after the Asian Labour MP, Keith Vaz, raised the issue in the Commons. Downing Street said Mr. Blair would not comment on a programme he had not seen, but added: "His position on racism is well known — racism of any kind is wrong."

New Delhi Special Correspondent writes:

The Centre asked the Indian High Commission to look into the matter. Information and Broadcasting Minister Priyaranjan Dasmunsi said he consulted External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee, in this regard.

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