The Criminal Kiss

Both Shilpa Shetty and Richard Gere violated Section 294 of the Indian Penal Code according to warrants issued by a court in Jaipur, signed by judge Dinesh Gupta. The pertinent section of the IPC reads:

Whoever to the annoyance of others does any obscene act in any public place or sings, recites or utters any obscene song, ballad or words, in or near any public place will be punished with imprisonment of up to three months or fined.

IBN TV takes a look at the reaction in India

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JSO0ewGrVAE&eurl=http%3A%2F%2Fshadmia%2Evodpod%2Ecom%2F]

Richard Gere finally responded to the incident and blamed the entire episode on a "small right-wing conservative political party" who are the "moral police" in India.

Anderson Cooper 360 takes a look at the case against Gere and Shetty and discusses the implications with TIME magazine correspondent Bobby Ghosh of India.
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m8UFrXhiuG4&eurl=http%3A%2F%2Fshadmia%2Evodpod%2Ecom%2F]

Comments

[little indian]

Above our laws, our traditions and customs, is he?

I cannot accept that
Richard Gere was unaware of Indian customs.
It wasn't his first visit.
He is not illeterate or uneducated.
Every tourist and backpackers are aware of our customs.

And it was not just a traditional peck on the cheek.
He made a spectacle of it.
Shetty didn't have a clue how to stop him.

I have reservations
about some of these American do-gooders,
who comes into India and believes they are God's gift to us.

There was a lot of anger expressed the moment it was shown on TV.
His effigy was burnt.
His apology should have been immediate.
Is it not strange that
his apology came only after the court order and not before?