[Mrluvaluva]

From bbc website

An Indian court has issued an arrest warrant for Hollywood actor Richard Gere after he kissed Bollywood star Shilpa Shetty in public.
Gere, 57, kissed Shetty, 31, several times on the cheek at an Aids awareness event in Delhi earlier this month.

The court in Jaipur in Rajasthan state called it "an obscene act", after a local lawyer filed a complaint.

It was not immediately clear how the warrant could affect Gere, who is a frequent visitor to India.

Shetty, who found fame outside India as the winner of Celebrity Big Brother in the UK, has also been asked to appear before the court.

But her spokesman, Dale Bhagwager, said the actress had not received any court order or summons and was currently away visiting temples.

He said Shetty had not done anything wrong.

Bigger issue

"What is there to comment? They were three innocent, natural cute pecks on the cheek," said Mr Bhagwager.

"What can one say, when three pecks can be made into an issue in the land of the Kama Sutra? People should concentrate on the bigger issue of Aids, rather than this."

Photographs of the clinch were splashed across front pages of newspapers in India.

Public displays of affection are still largely taboo in India, and protestors in Mumbai (Bombay) set fire to effigies of Gere following the incident.

Dance scene

Shetty has defended Gere saying that it was all done "in good humour".

"He especially told me to tell the media that he didn't want to hurt any Indian sensibilities," she said.

She said Gere had only been re-enacting a scene from his film Shall We Dance.

Under Indian law, a person convicted of public obscenity faces up to three months in prison, a fine or both.

Gere, star of films such as Chicago and Pretty Woman, is a Buddhist and travels to India frequently to visit the Dalai Lama, who lives in exile in the north of the country.

[GiRTh]

What a ridiculous state of affairs.

[Ruth*Star]

That is the most pathetic thing i have heard all week.

[Matt]

I can't believe it has come to this. There's nothing to say really.

[Mrluvaluva]

from www.mtero.co.uk

An Indian court has issued arrest warrants for Hollywood actor Richard Gere and Bollywood star Shilpa Shelty for kissing at a public function, media reports said.

Judge Dines Gupta issued the warrants in the northwestern city of Jaipur after a local citizen filed a complaint charging that the public display of affection -which he called an "an obscene act" - offended local sensibilities, the Press Trust of India news agency reported.

But such cases against celebrities - often filed by publicity seekers - are common in conservative India.

[tinkerbell]

An arrest for a kiss? are you kidding me?

[nodisharmony]

Richard Gere & Shilpa Shetty were at an "Aids awareness event" and were there for no financial gain for themselves.

They were doing something good for the community and beyond.

Now the decision which has been made to arrest Richard Gere and throw him into a courtroom in totally outrageous

I also take note that some very insane fanatical people who were burning effigies of Richard Gere and demanding the death of both Shilpa & Richard Gere, forgot to set themselves alight? They must have forgotten to be martyrs, like some fanatacal people who deserve it.

I am very sure that Richard wasn't aware that it was illegal to kiss Shilpa and being unaware has found himself in much hot water right now.

But Shilpa Shetty is Indian and I am sure that she was aware, but as Richard did it so quickly, she didn't have the time to tell him, so it was all too late.

______________________________________________
The law in India states that it is illegal for Richard, to kiss Shilpa in public and in front of other people, mostly Indian people (Naturally) If it had been in private, that would have been okay.

There is a lot of religious people in India and plenty of rules to follow.

If everybody in the world was fully aware of how many people have needlessly died, as a result of being religious! Then many people would think that religion is a bad thing.

Sit at a computer and join the TIBB forum and quit believing that all religion is safe and happy.

Millions of death's that are a result of mad-religious types state otherwise!!! Or is it just a case of reducing the increasing population, (Some might say?)
______________________________________________
Anyway, I am sure that many people will be more aware that if they visit India, (Don't kiss) That is so bad!! no romantisism in that way.

Just steer clear of that sort of happiness, as it has made Richard Gere understand the situation.

Kissing Shilpa is very wrong in India and if the Indian community in a different country saw this, I am sure they would also be offended and want to see Richard & Shilpa punished to the highest limit imaginable.

As the internet is a public domain and pictures of Shilpa or any other Indian person kissing another person from, let's say, (United Kingdom) and they were completly from here, white through-and-through, but the immortal sin was done and a picture of that Indian person was pictured kissing that United Kingdom person, and placed on the internet somewhere, then many, many, many, many Indian people would be offended.

If a complaint was made, then the picture of them kissing would have to be removed immediately!! as it would cause offence and that is so exact.

The reason that it would be removed, is too obvious to debate.
______________________________________________
Anyway, the story is a sad one and I hope that Richard Gere is safe from being thrown into this position by this particular law that is so offensive, apparently!!

The arrest warrant exists and I am sure that there are many,many, many fanatical people who will never be happy until death follows the two, or even better, "The One"

But luckily, Richard Gere is a very famous actor and Shilpa Shetty will be listened too very well and I am sure that she will stick up for Richard and say that it was a very harmless affair and he was unaware of this particular, but unfair law.

Which many people think is stupid!!

There will be some funny handshakes, out-pal's act, a nod & a wink and maybe a secret cash donation, which may make this thing miraculously disappear?

But we won't know, until the TV news and the Newspapers tell us, and I can be very certain, that they will.

This was such big news, you wouldn't believe it!!!!

If two hundred women, men or children died anywhere, it would never reach the proportions of advertisement that this story has.

This is so bad and has been taken like this.

Luckily, I don't have to worry when kissing my girlfriend or any other girl in public in England. It is a lovely thing to do and so many of us do it & more.

But this is in a different place with different rules, which all come from religion and if you really, really understood what religion can do and how it can harm so many people, you would say, "I'll leave it alone", if the religion that a particular following do follow has rules which can cause misery & death, I think that life is better when peaceful.



nodisharmony

[Sticks]

Originally posted by iMatt
I can't believe it has come to this. There's nothing to say really.

Except the Law is the Law

Justice must be satisfied

[nodisharmony]

I found a more worrying article below

Rajasthan's court restrains Shilpa from leaving country
---------------------------------------------------------------------

Link & Article below:-

http://www.hindustantimes.com/StoryP...eaving+country


KS Tomar
April 21, 2007
First Published: 23:51 IST(21/4/2007)
Last Updated: 09:11 IST(22/4/2007)

Rajasthan's court in Alwar district on Saturday restrained Bollywood actress Shilpa Shetty from leaving the country till the disposal of the case filed by two advocates.

In his interim, order, judicial magistrate (civil) Anwar Ahmed asked the deputy superintendent of police Richpal Singh Punia to inform the immigration authorities of India to stop Shilpa if she tried to leave the country.

A case has been filed in the court at Mundawar by Bhoop Singh and Jagan Nath, both advocates, against Richard Gere, Shilpa Shetty and the TV channels.

DSP Punia told HT on the phone that the petitioners have blamed Gere and Shilpa for obscene kissing in the public which was an offence under sections 292, 293 and 294 of Indian penal code (IPC).

Punia said "advocates pleaded that Gere continuously kissed Shilpa who did not resist which gave the reflection of a planned conspiracy to defame the Indian culture."

"If proved guilty then the accused can be sentenced to the imprisonment of 6 years under these sections," he said.

The advocates also alleged that information Technology Act 1968 has been violated as objectionable portions were shown to the public on the TV channels, DSP said.

Punia said "on the basis of the direction of the court, I will write a note to the superintendent of police Alwar who will forward it to the immigration authorities to stop Shilpa from fleeing abroad."


nodisharmony