Varanasi burns Gere in effigy for kissing Shilpa

Varanasi, Apr 16: A day after Hollywood star Richard Gere planted kisses on the cheek of Bollywood actress Shilpa Shetty at an AIDS awareness programme in New Delhi, widespread protests were witnessed in the holy city today with Shilpa fans burning effigy of Gere. Members of Shilpa Shetty Fan Club led by Iqbal took to the streets in Nai Sarak area raising anti-Gere slogans. They later burnt an effigy of the Hollywood star demanding that Gere either apologise for his indecent conduct or else leave the country immediately.

''Shilpa Shetty conquered all racial swipes to win the Big Brother reality game show in England, but the Hollywood actor by unnecessarily planting kisses on Shilpa's cheek has not only done disservice to AIDS campaign but also blemished the rich Indian culture,'' Iqbal said.

Activists of the Vande Mataram Sanghursh Samiti also followed suit by burning Gere's effigy near the Geeta Mandir at Godowlia. Led by their convenor Anup Jaiswal, the activists of the voluntary organisation not only demanded that Gere leave India immediately, but also mocked Shilpa for not protesting the Hollywood star's indecent behaviour on stage.

Shiv Sena activists led by Gulshan Kapoor also set afire the Hollywood actor in effigy at Luxa crossing and demanded that he immediately leave the country.

The 'Pretty Woman' fame actor had planted kisses on Shilpa's cheeks at 'Seena Tan Ke,' an AIDS awareness programme for truckers in New Delhi last evening.

UNI