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[poondu]

Bollywood actress Shilpa Shetty is in the news again -- this time though for some wrong reasons -- as her kissing act with Hollywood star Richard Gere at a function on AIDS awareness has led to widespread protests from several quarters.

In Varanasi, Shiv Sena and Bande Mataram Sangharsh Samiti activists as well as Muslims staged protests in various parts of the city and burnt effigies of Gere and Shetty to protest against their "indecent behaviour" which, the protesters claimed, was "an attack on our cultural ethos".

In Kanpur, protesters, mostly students, burnt effigies and demanded that Gere should go back from the country while demonstrators in Bhopal threatened to boycott Shetty's forthcoming films.

Reacting to the issue, Shetty said, "I understand this is his culture, not ours. But this was not such a big thing or so obscene for people to overreact in such manner. "I understand people's sentiments, but I don't want a foreigner to take bad memories from here."

The BJP here disapproved the act saying it is not part of Indian culture. "Such a public display is not part of Indian tradition," said party spokesperson Prakash Javadekar.

Gere had repeatedly kissed Shetty on stage at the function on Sunday night where Bollywood actor Sunny Deol and more than 4,000 truck drivers also participated in the campaign to create AIDS awareness.

Shetty grabbed the headlines earlier this year when racist comments against her from a fellow contestant of the celebrity show Big Brother was widely condemned by people. 

Concentrate on the issue, not kiss: Shilpa

While celebrating the 'Seena Taan Ke' event to highlight the contribution of truckers and the importance of safe sex practices, Gere, overwhelmed by Shilpa's appreciation, held her hand and kissed it. He later hugged her tightly, bent over her and planted several kisses on her cheeks in full public view.

A giggly and embarrassed Shilpa said: "Yeh thoda zyada ho gaya tha (This was a little too much)."

The kissing episode has raised the hackles of several conservative groups. "This is an intolerable and obscene act. It is against the values, culture and traditions of the nation. Gere must apologise," said a protester at Indore.

"This act has hurt the sentiments of people. This should not have happened publicly," said another protester. People came out on the streets in hundreds to protest and burned the effigies of Gere. They are demanding that he apologise to Shilpa and the country.

In the HIV-AIDS programme, organised by the Transport Corporation of India (TCI) Foundation, the social arm of Group Transport Corporation of India and the Hero Project, Shilpa had lavished praise on Gere just before the kissing episode took place.

"I thank Gere that he took out time to visit India. It is appreciable to see how intensely he feels for this issue. And we all must recognise his efforts and give our contribution in the best possible way, for this great cause," she said, addressing the crowds.

Shilpa had made international headlines a few months ago when British TV star Jade Goody hurled racist abuses at her on the reality show Celebrity Big Brother.

Dale Bhagwagar, spokesperson and publicist to Shilpa, said the media should concentrate on the cause of AIDS awareness rather than make an issue out of Richard Gere's kisses.

Gere has been associated with the Heroes project - a three-year national initiative by him and Parmeshwar Godrej - that aims at reducing the stigma about HIV/AIDS by educating people and advocating behavioural change.

According to the TCI foundation, 40 percent of the country's five million truck drivers are vulnerable to HIV/AIDS.

Around 4,000 truck drivers were also part of the 'Seena Taan Ke' programme.

[keep-it-cool]

Bhai, tune pappi kyon li .. bhai, tune pappi kyon li?
Saari duniya beepke tujhe yahi bas mili??

[dhruvdeepak]

is telling these stupid jobless babus to blow me not part of our culture?
he kissed her cheeks for #$%$#%#$s sakes. and just in case they didnt #$@#$@ing realize, Richard Gere is not privy to our traditions. he doesnt give a rat's #@$@#$ what they think.

[keep-it-cool]

is telling these stupid jobless babus to blow me not part of our culture?
he kissed her cheeks for #$%$#%#$s sakes. and just in case they didnt #$@#$@ing realize, Richard Gere is not privy to our traditions. he doesnt give a rat's #@$@#$ what they think.

LOL .. thand rakho thand ... this is normal behaviour... par for the course

[sudzz]

is telling these stupid jobless babus to blow me not part of our culture?
he kissed her cheeks for #$%$#%#$s sakes. and just in case they didnt #$@#$@ing realize, Richard Gere is not privy to our traditions. he doesnt give a rat's #@$@#$ what they think.

DD remember Murphys Law...Work Expands to fill time.... here in this case for babus with no work...Issues expand to pass time....

[sgusa]

The victorians would be proud!

Isnt having one of the largest % of AIDS incidences in the world not a bad mark on our culture?

Jobless SOBs!

[arjun]

has nothing to do with jobs or joblessness. These rats are part of the RSS-BJP-BAJRANG DAL brigade. These had come out of their holes during the last ten years or so and are now running amok.

[dextrous]

looks like gere has a little crush!

[Jai]

Can someone tell me how to get into effigy making business in India? This seems to be damn profitable as it covers personalities from all speheres of life. And customization seems to be pretty quick. I don't think these effigy vendors had Gere's effigies in stock unlike the ones of SRT, MSD, SG etc. May be Dexy will allow me to sell it online here in the US too though this site. Double munafa.

[sgusa]

Can someone tell me how to get into effigy making business in India? This seems to be damn profitable as it covers personalities from all speheres of life. And customization seems to be pretty quick. I don't think these effigy vendors had Gere's effigies in stock unlike the ones of SRT, MSD, SG etc. May be Dexy will allow me to sell it online here in the US too though this site. Double munafa.

Start by making an effigy of Finey to sell to Fever and an effigy of Fever to sell to Finey!

[Jai]

Can someone tell me how to get into effigy making business in India? This seems to be damn profitable as it covers personalities from all speheres of life. And customization seems to be pretty quick. I don't think these effigy vendors had Gere's effigies in stock unlike the ones of SRT, MSD, SG etc. May be Dexy will allow me to sell it online here in the US too though this site. Double munafa.

Start by making an effigy of Finey to sell to Fever and an effigy of Fever to sell to Finey!

You want me to make just two effigies for my business? That doesn't sound like a good business strategy, don't you think so? And on top of that, if I make Finey's effigy and try to sell it to Fever, RJo may start hounding me with Red Letter notices (do you know whether he belongs to the communist party?)

[poondu]

"Crowds in India burn Gere effigies

NEW DELHI, India (AP) -- Angry crowds in several Indian cities burned effigies of Richard Gere on Monday after he swept a popular Bollywood actress into his arms and kissed her several times during an AIDS-awareness event.

Photographs of the 57-year-old actor embracing Shilpa Shetty and kissing her on the cheek at an HIV/AIDS awareness event in New Delhi were splashed across Monday's front pages in India -- a country where sex and public displays of affection are largely taboo.

In Mumbai, members of the right-wing Hindu nationalist group Shiv Sena beat burning effigies of Gere with sticks and set fire to glamorous shots of Shetty.

Similar protests broke out in other cities, including Varanasi, Hinduism's holiest city, and in the northern town of Meerut, where crowds chanted "Down with Shilpa Shetty!"

The two appeared at a press conference in New Delhi on Sunday to highlight the HIV/AIDS epidemic among India's truck drivers. In front of a cheering crowd, Gere kissed the giggling Shetty on the hand, then kissed her on both cheeks before bending her in a full embrace to kiss her cheek again.

"This is a bit too much," Shetty said after the embrace.

On Monday, Shetty tried to stamp out the controversy.

"I understand this is his culture, not ours. But this was not such a big thing or so obscene for people to overreact in such manner," she told the Press Trust of India news agency.

"I understand people's sentiments, but I don't want a foreigner to take bad memories from here," PTI quoted her as saying.

The spokesman for Hindu nationalist party Bharatiya Janata Party condemned the kiss.

"Such a public display is not part of Indian tradition," said Prakash Javadekar, according to PTI.
"

http://www.cnn.com/2007/SHOWBIZ/04/16/showbuzz/index.html#1

Jai, it looks like Gere effigies are available in India.. 

[Aloo Kashmiri Ul Haq]

so how many of you kiss your wife in front of your kids?
and yes I dont endorse effigy burning because i am an environmentalist 

[sudzz]

so how many of you kiss your wife in front of your kids?
and yes I dont endorse effigy burning because i am an environmentalist 

Kissing ones wife is ones personal decision whether one does so infront of ones kids or others kids or in public is a matter between the couple.

I for one believe there is no reason for two people to hide their affections to each other if the two are not ashamed of it.

Abe sala apni hi biwi ko kiss kar raha hai na paraye ki biwi hoti toh koi baat bane 

[Aloo Kashmiri Ul Haq]

so how many of you kiss your wife in front of your kids?
and yes I dont endorse effigy burning because i am an environmentalist 

Kissing ones wife is ones personal decision whether one does so infront of ones kids or others kids or in public is a matter between the couple.

I for one believe there is no reason for two people to hide their affections to each other if the two are not ashamed of it.
Abe sala apni hi biwi ko kiss kar raha hai na paraye ki biwi hoti toh koi baat bane 

yahi toh dhoka khagaya india!

and Gere should know better, ignorant fool

[fineleg]

so how many of you kiss your wife in front of your kids?
and yes I dont endorse effigy burning because i am an environmentalist 

Why? Do you think SS and Gere needs to be booed becos he kissed her on the cheek? 

[pieterSAN]

Gere was showboating for publicity...he has some movies coming out this summer and he wants people to remind people he still exists. Frankly, I think it was uncalled for...but at the same time, I find it annoying (the irony!) that it is so easy to push their buttons back in India.

[fineleg]

Gere was showboating for publicity...he has some movies coming out this summer and he wants people to remind people he still exists. Frankly, I think it was uncalled for...but at the same time, I find it annoying (the irony!) that it is so easy to push their buttons back in India.

Jiet,
Lets not generalize by saying it is easy to push their buttons...I think the vast majority care two hoots abt it.
This is just an opportunity for certain sets of organizations to push forward their agendas. Thats all.

[pieterSAN]

Gere was showboating for publicity...he has some movies coming out this summer and he wants people to remind people he still exists. Frankly, I think it was uncalled for...but at the same time, I find it annoying (the irony!) that it is so easy to push their buttons back in India.

Jiet,
Lets not generalize by saying it is easy to push their buttons...I think the vast majority care two hoots abt it.
This is just an opportunity for certain sets of organizations to push forward their agendas. Thats all.

True. I suppose that the reaction is deliberately exaggerated by those with the agenda.

[Aloo Kashmiri Ul Haq]

Gere was showboating for publicity...he has some movies coming out this summer and he wants people to remind people he still exists. Frankly, I think it was uncalled for...but at the same time, I find it annoying (the irony!) that it is so easy to push their buttons back in India.

Jiet,
Lets not generalize by saying it is easy to push their buttons...I think the vast majority care two hoots abt it.
This is just an opportunity for certain sets of organizations to push forward their agendas. Thats all.

are the increased hawaldar activity at Bandra Bandstand also a part of the same?
When a person decided to pioneer a social reform the least he/she should do is to get an idea of the culture of the society.

and yes fineleg I think Gere needs to be reprimanded for his lack of care for Indian culture but I dont endorse the effigy burning for the associated harm with public property.

and if certain organizations are making a scene out of the same they are exercising their constitutional right. You and I also have the same right as citizens of India.

[fineleg]

and yes fineleg I think Gere needs to be reprimanded for his lack of care for Indian culture but I dont endorse the effigy burning for the associated harm with public property.

and if certain organizations are making a scene out of the same they are exercising their constitutional right. You and I also have the same right as citizens of India.

DY,
What do you mean by reprimanded? Should the Govt of India get involved with this to issue a letter saying you are reprimanded to Gere?

I think you are being a trifle impractical here. Look, it is upto individuals to follow what they consider is ok and what they dont (within boundaries, ofcourse running naked on the road is punishable by law!). Beyond that, I dont think small things like this can be reprimanded etc.

I don't mean to sound harsh towards u (really no), but I think jobless folks in India are fanning unnecessary flames.

[pipsqueak]

FYI

Kissing is a complex behaviour that requires significant muscular coordination; in fact, a total of twenty muscles working cooperatively. The most important muscle involved is the orbicularis oris muscle, which is used to pucker the lips and informally known as the kissing muscle. The tongue can also be an important part of the kiss.


Source: Wiki

[Aloo Kashmiri Ul Haq]

and yes fineleg I think Gere needs to be reprimanded for his lack of care for Indian culture but I dont endorse the effigy burning for the associated harm with public property.

and if certain organizations are making a scene out of the same they are exercising their constitutional right. You and I also have the same right as citizens of India.

DY,
What do you mean by reprimanded? Should the Govt of India get involved with this to issue a letter saying you are reprimanded to Gere?

I think you are being a trifle impractical here. Look, it is upto individuals to follow what they consider is ok and what they dont (within boundaries, ofcourse running naked on the road is punishable by law!). Beyond that, I dont think small things like this can be reprimanded etc.

I don't mean to sound harsh towards u (really no), but I think jobless folks in India are fanning unnecessary flames.

it's not
kissing in public in india is a criminal offence

[fineleg]

FYI

Kissing is a complex behaviour that requires significant muscular coordination; in fact, a total of twenty muscles working cooperatively. The most important muscle involved is the orbicularis oris muscle, which is used to pucker the lips and informally known as the kissing muscle. The tongue can also be an important part of the kiss.


Source: Wiki

Why the sudden burst of energy to post this?
Btw, MT you seem to have a lot of interest in this to do "research" 

[Aloo Kashmiri Ul Haq]

indian penal code section 294

[fineleg]

it's not
kissing in public in india is a criminal offence

Whaaaaaaat!?? If I kiss someone on the cheek in public, its a CRIMINAL OFFENSE!?
You serious or what? What does the Penal code say!

Sudzz: Sorry - cannot return to Desh    (ref other thread by sudzz)

[pipsqueak]

FYI

Kissing is a complex behaviour that requires significant muscular coordination; in fact, a total of twenty muscles working cooperatively. The most important muscle involved is the orbicularis oris muscle, which is used to pucker the lips and informally known as the kissing muscle. The tongue can also be an important part of the kiss.


Source: Wiki

Why the sudden burst of energy to post this?
Btw, MT you seem to have a lot of interest in this to do "research" 

well, i was looking up the origins of kissing and why/when it turned into an act of passion and came across this. i looked up ray price's bowling record as well with the same interest - so?   kissing has potential to be a good exercise, it seems.

[Aloo Kashmiri Ul Haq]

it's not
kissing in public in india is a criminal offence

Whaaaaaaat!?? If I kiss someone on the cheek in public, its a CRIMINAL OFFENSE!?
You serious or what? What does the Penal code say!

Sudzz: Sorry - cannot return to Desh    (ref other thread by sudzz)

"Also, under the Indian Penal Code, any act which causes annoyance to others, doing any obscene act in any public place or singing, reciting or uttering any obscene song, ballad or words in or near any public place, is punishable with an imprisonment of 3 months or fine or both under section 294 of Indian Penal Code.

"

[pipsqueak]

FYI

Anthropologists have not reached a consensus as to whether kissing is a learned or an instinctive behavior. It may be related to grooming behavior also seen between other animals, or arising as a result of mothers premasticating food for their children. Kissing allows prospective mates to smell and taste each other's pheromones for biological compatibility. Women are subconsciously more attracted to men whose major histocompatibility complex portion of their genome is different than her own, leading to offspring with resistance to a greater number of diseases, and thus having a better chance of survival. This explains why couples are more likely to bond if they have the right "chemistry". Many non-human primates also exhibit kissing behavior

Source : wiki

[keep-it-cool]

There was an interesting question some guy posed to Shilpa on one of the channels. Would you have been as cool with it, had it been Mika kissing you? Or any other Indian? Or are you cool just so that "a foreigner does not take away bad memories from here"?

[keep-it-cool]

it's not
kissing in public in india is a criminal offence

Whaaaaaaat!?? If I kiss someone on the cheek in public, its a CRIMINAL OFFENSE!?
You serious or what? What does the Penal code say!

Sudzz: Sorry - cannot return to Desh    (ref other thread by sudzz)

"uttering any obscene song, ballad or words in or near any public place, is punishable with an imprisonment of 3 months or fine or both under section 294 of Indian Penal Code."

ha ... everyone will be in jail, starting with the havaldars

[fineleg]

DY baba,
1. Kissing on the cheek is NOT an obscene act
2. If ppl who "annoy" are to be jailed, like kic says we can get the whole city in 

[fineleg]

FYI

Kissing is a complex behaviour that requires significant muscular coordination; in fact, a total of twenty muscles working cooperatively. The most important muscle involved is the orbicularis oris muscle, which is used to pucker the lips and informally known as the kissing muscle. The tongue can also be an important part of the kiss.


Source: Wiki

Why the sudden burst of energy to post this?
Btw, MT you seem to have a lot of interest in this to do "research" 

well, i was looking up the origins of kissing and why/when it turned into an act of passion and came across this. i looked up ray price's bowling record as well with the same interest - so?   kissing has potential to be a good exercise, it seems.

Interesting...
I seem to have a newfound passion for exercise. I am up for some exercise.

In all seriousness, doesn't that research or Wiki sound like a BS...kissing is a form of "exercise" - only the tongue and lip muscles!!!

[pipsqueak]

Interesting...
I seem to have a newfound passion for exercise. I am up for some exercise.

In all seriousness, doesn't that research or Wiki sound like a BS...kissing is a form of "exercise" - only the tongue and lip muscles!!!

it is a joke - may i call you a maRamandai? or wd you "report" me   

[fineleg]

Interesting...
I seem to have a newfound passion for exercise. I am up for some exercise.

In all seriousness, doesn't that research or Wiki sound like a BS...kissing is a form of "exercise" - only the tongue and lip muscles!!!

it is a joke - may i call you a maRamandai? or wd you "report" me   

Maharani Turtleshwari, pls. to forgive 
But, still I'd like to exercise!

[pieterSAN]

it's not
kissing in public in india is a criminal offence

Whaaaaaaat!?? If I kiss someone on the cheek in public, its a CRIMINAL OFFENSE!?
You serious or what? What does the Penal code say!

Sudzz: Sorry - cannot return to Desh    (ref other thread by sudzz)

"Also, under the Indian Penal Code, any act which causes annoyance to others, doing any obscene act in any public place or singing, reciting or uttering any obscene song, ballad or words in or near any public place, is punishable with an imprisonment of 3 months or fine or both under section 294 of Indian Penal Code.

"

So kissing has to either

- cause annoyance to others (does not say anything about annoyance to the parties involved)

AND/OR

- be an obscene act

for it to be punishable by imprisonment. So if I kiss my mother on the cheek do I/she/we go to prison? If I kiss my sister on the cheek do I/she/we go to prison? I really wish that we did not consider kissing obscene in India. That would be unfortunate.

[lady_cricketer]

Gere was showboating for publicity...he has some movies coming out this summer and he wants people to remind people he still exists.

Brown skin is IN.. (his instincts clearly were to do a mouth-to-mouth on her)

Specially one that is ready to acknowledge white skin.

Seriously, why was that public display of affection necessary in an AIDS awareness event.

[Aloo Kashmiri Ul Haq]

Obscenity depends on culture, in India kissing a family member (except spouse!) on the cheek is not considered obscene
Is brushing through hair of person of the same sex considered obscene in India? no but it would be in the US.

Annoyance to parties involved in kissing?
HUh?

[sudzz]

it's not
kissing in public in india is a criminal offence

Whaaaaaaat!?? If I kiss someone on the cheek in public, its a CRIMINAL OFFENSE!?
You serious or what? What does the Penal code say!

Sudzz: Sorry - cannot return to Desh    (ref other thread by sudzz)

"Also, under the Indian Penal Code, any act which causes annoyance to others, doing any obscene act in any public place or singing, reciting or uttering any obscene song, ballad or words in or near any public place, is punishable with an imprisonment of 3 months or fine or both under section 294 of Indian Penal Code.

"

So kissing has to either

- cause annoyance to others (does not say anything about annoyance to the parties involved)

AND/OR

- be an obscene act

for it to be punishable by imprisonment. So if I kiss my mother on the cheek do I/she/we go to prison? If I kiss my sister on the cheek do I/she/we go to prison? I really wish that we did not consider kissing obscene in India. That would be unfortunate.

Jiet,
I would like to quote a personal example here, me and a lady colleague of mine had gone to a major city in UP for a branch inaguration, we could not get the return flight and had to take the train to reach Delhi, for which we had to buy tickets  since the time available was too little to ask a travel agent to do so...we were in the first class queue and she happend to hold my arm for support as she had briefcase in one hand and some files in the other and lost her footing slightly...

Both of us were heckled by a bunch of goons saying stuff like get a room etc (and the funniest part was that we did not realise it was aimed at us as we were busy talking about an impending presentation once we reached Delhi), suddenly we find a cop arriving on the scene and asking us to go with him, we did so and we were soundly reprimanded by a senior inspector to the effect of you city dwellers dont have shame etc etc...Luckily for us he assumed she was my wife and we did not correct him (he said aap apni biwi ko 15 minute waiting room beepiye aur ticket le aaye ye, yeh sab yahan nahi chalega) so he let us off with a warning and asked me let her wait in the waiting room.

So its not so difficult to get arrested if people want to harass you...

[fineleg]

Obscenity depends on culture, in India kissing a family member (except spouse!) on the cheek is not considered obscene
Is brushing through hair of person of the same sex considered obscene in India? no but it would be in the US.

Annoyance to parties involved in kissing?
HUh?

Aloo Haq,
Kissing your wife on the cheek is obscene (in India)!? Some may not do it, but that does not mean it is obscene?
Girl-o-Girl, I did not expect there would be a diff of opinion on this, but then thats what DGs are for