Celebrity Big Brother row reaches India
Concerns have been raised that Shilpa Shetty is a victim of abuse
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Wednesday, 17, Jan 2007 08:02
Celebrity Big Brother's racism row has escalated into an international diplomatic issue.
Complaints of alleged abuse directed at Bollywood actress Shilpa Shetty trickled in to the media regulator Ofcom on Tuesday morning but since then a record-breaking 19,300 complaints have been made.
Some of the comments made on the Channel 4 programme have been reported in the Indian press and Indian protestors have burnt effigies of the television channel's bosses.
Anand Sharma, India's junior minister for external affairs, told reporters today that the government would take "appropriate measures" once it knew the full details of the case.
"Racism has no place in civilised society," he added.
Chanceller Gordon Brown, who is on a trip in India, earlier said that Britain is a "nation of fairness and tolerance".
And the prime minister has been drawn into the row, telling the House of Commons this lunchtime that although he has not seen the programme he would "agree entirely with the principle. that we should oppose racism in all its forms".
Hertfordshire police has confirmed that it is investigating two emails sent to Channel 4 which made "unspecified" threats about a number of the housemates.
Labour MP Keith Vaz tabled an early day motion in the House of Commons objecting to the comments made about Shilpa by her other housemates.
He is calling on Channel 4 producers to take "urgent action to remind housemates that racist behaviour is unacceptable".
Housemates Jo O'Meara, Jade Goody and Danielle Lloyd have made derogatory comments about Indians' food and how they eat while Jackiey Budden, Jade's mother, could not say the Bollywood actress' name properly and referred to her as "the Indian".
Although Shilpa has not made any direct comments about racism on the show, she has complained about how she is being treated by some of the housemates and asked why they "hate" her.
Speaking in the diary room she said that the experience will make her a "stronger person".
Channel 4 said that it took bullying and racial abuse "extremely seriously".
"The nature of the show often includes incidents where conflicts arise and housemates are encouraged to resolve issues among themselves," a statement said.
"Appropriate measures to reprimand individual behaviour would take place where necessary."
Carphone Warehouse is now said to be reviewing its sponsorship of the Channel 4 programme.
Boss Charles Dunstone told the Times newspaper: "Clearly we are against racism."
Jade Goody, who returned to the show as a celebrity after appearing on it a few years ago, has been dropped as a patron by the charity Action Against Bullying for her actions in the house.