Racial slurs to Shilpa evoke widespread condemnation

New Delhi, Jan 17 (UNI) Reports of racial barbs to Shilpa Shetty in a British TV reality show drew condemnation from all quarters with Information and Broadcasting Minister Priya Ranjan Dasmunsi today appealing to the actor to come out with the entire facts before the Indian High Commission for initiating action.

The BJP demanded the UPA Government take up the case with its UK counterpart.

Mr Dasmunsi also dashed off a letter to External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukehrjee, urging him to take up the issue with appropriate authorities in Britain.

''I appeal to the actress to depose the actual position before the Indian High Commission so that appropriate action can be taken,'' he told reporters here.

In his reaction, Minister of State for External Affairs Anand Sharma said,''We condemn the incident as India has always opposed racism.'' ''We take strong objection to the incident as it has happened in a foreign country,'' Mr Sharma said.

''We will get the details.'' In response to a question regarding the incident, the External Ministry Spokesperson clarified that the Indian Government has taken up the matter with the British Government through the British High Commission in New Delhi for addressing it in accordance with their laws.

On the other hand, BJP spokesperson Prakash Javadekar said, ''We condemn all kinds of apartheid, be it on racist basis or otherwise. We hope the Government take up the issue at the right forum.'' He said the party was condemning it, not merely because it had happened with a celebrity, but it was against racist discrimination of any kind against any body. ''We also hope that the UK government will take appropriate action against those who meted out such treatment to Shilpa,'' he said.

Meanwhile, the actor's spokesperson Dale Bhagwagar, in a statement released in Mumbai today, said in spite of the derogatory references to her by participants Jack Tweed, Danielle Lloyd and Jackie Budden on the show, the actress has maintained a dignified silence.

''I admit it is racist and that she is being targeted for her Asian origin. But look at the positive side- Most viewers are sympathising with her,'' remarked Bhagwagar.

In the interim, a report from London said British broadcaster Channel 4 has come under fierce attack from the Asian community here, over the alleged racist abuse of Shilpa Shetty on its Celebrity Big Brother programme.

The broadcaster and the watchdog Ofcom have received thousands of complaints about the treatment on Shetty, who has encountered a tirade of insults from the former house- mate Jackiey Budden, her daughter Jade Goody and, to a lesser extent, from the model Danielle Lloyd.

Acting on the complaints of the members of Leicester East, MP Keith Vaz of the Labour party tabled an early day motion in the Commons calling on the programme, ''To take action to remind housemates that racist behaviour is unacceptable.'' UNI