From rxpgnews.com
Mandira lands in flag controversy
By IANS,
Apr 29, 2007 - 4:50:00 PM
Jaipur, April 29 - Actress and cricket commentator Mandira Bedi has landed in a bit of trouble with a complaint against her for showing disrespect to the national flag.
Gyan Prakash Kamra, a Jaipur resident, has accused Mandira of disrespecting the tricolour by wearing it as a design on her sari. The actress, while hosting a show on Set Max channel during the final of the World Cup Saturday, wore a sari that had the national flags of 16 participating countries printed on it. India's flag, however, found place near her knees, which allegedly violates the Flag Code.
'She has shown disrespect to our national flag. So I have lodged a police complaint against her under Section 2 of the Prevention of Insults to National Honour Act, 1971,' Kamra told IANS.
Mandira later changed the sari and apologised on the television. 'I had kept this sari specially to wear on the day of the final but if I have offended anybody's sentiments, I offer my deep apology. It was inadvertent and not intentional. I am proud of being an Indian and do not have any intention to show disrespect to the national flag,' she said.
But Kamra says her apology only makes his case stronger.
'Her apology does not matter. On the contrary, it makes my case stronger as she has accepted that she did it,' he said.
Mandira had earlier angered Sikh authorities for using a Sikh religious symbol on her body as a tattoo.
She then sent a signed apology to the Akal Takht, the highest body of Sikh religious affairs, expressing regret over hurting Sikh sentiments by displaying an 'Ek Omkar' tattoo in Gurmukhi on her bare back during a fashion show in Mumbai recently.
Mandira, who became famous as a TV star with her role in the serial 'Shanti' a decade ago, has recently been creating waves by becoming a studio cricket commentator in the live show 'Extraa Innings' - rubbing shoulders with top cricketers of yesteryears.
This is the second cricket World Cup for which she has been engaged by Sony's Set Max channel.
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