Casteist slur: Shilpa apologises, Salman mum as FIR filed, protests continue

Mumbai: It wouldn’t be wrong to say Salman Khan and controversies go hand-in-hand, especially when a film is about to release.

Salman’s recent comments on a TV show comparing his dancing skills to a ‘bhangi’ has sparked a row, with Shilpa Shetty Kundra also coming under fire for similar comments in an old interview.

The Valmiki community were offended by the comments, calling it ‘insulting’ and filed a complaint against the stars.

An FIR was also lodged against the two actors in Andheri, Mumbai after a political party, Rojgar Aghari Republican Party of India filed a complaint.

Moreover, after a complaint from ex-chairman of the Delhi Commission for Safai Karamcharis, Harnam Singh, the National Commission for Scheduled Castes (NCSC) had also issued a notice demanding a reply from Information and Broadcasting Ministry and the police commissioners of Delhi and Mumbai regarding the action taken against the two actors.

Youth from the Valmiki community protested near Galaxy Cinema in Rajkot, at the collector's office in Jamnagar and in various localities of Gondal in Gujarat while protests were also held and posters torn in Rajasthan.

Protesters also gathered outside Salman's residence in Mumbai, but they were dispersed and security has been beefed up at the venue.

Meanwhile, Shilpa apologised for her comments, posting a statement on her social media handles that her comments were ‘misinterpretated’ and that she didn’t intent to hurt anyone’s feelings. She added that she was proud about belonging to a country with such diverse castes and that she respects each of them.

Salman is yet to issue an apology and this incident brings to light another controversial comment of his before the release of ‘Sultan’, where he had compared himself to a raped woman, while narrating his struggle during wrestling.

Even at that time, he had not apologised despite protests legal notices and complaints against him.