The Big Brother issue

Bollywood star Shilpa Shetty has spoken for the first time of her fears that she is the victim of racism in the Celebrity Big Brother house.
Unaware that the race row has developed into an international incident, the housemates had an argument about Oxo cubes.
Following the row, Cleo Rocos told Shilpa: "I don't think there's anything racist in it."
Shilpa replied: "It is, I'm telling you."
Complaints about the show have flooded in since housemate Jade Goody, her mother Jackiey Budden and boyfriend Jack Tweed; model Danielle Lloyd and former S Club singer Jo O'Meara allegedly began bullying the 31-year-old Indian star.
Following the Oxo cub spat, Jade told the actress: "Go back to the slums".
A show source has revealed that Shilpa and Jade will face each other in the next eviction vote.
The number of complaints to regulator Ofcom has approached 20,000 and the Indian government has indicated that it plans to raise the issue with Britain.
Protesters in India burned effigies of the show's organisers and Gordon Brown, on a trip to the country, said the alleged racist remarks were "offensive".
Tony Blair and David Cameron also found themselves commenting on the show and condemning all forms of racism.
Shetty's mother Sunanda told Sky News that it was painful watching her daughter cry on TV.
Speaking at her home in Mumbai, Mrs Shetty said: "As a mother I find it very painful and alarming to watch my daughter cry.
"To see her cry on TV while a bunch of people abuse her is a very painful thing for a parent."
Channel 4 has seen a large jump in viewing figures this week, with Tuesday's highlights programme being watched by a million more people than on Monday night.
It said there had been "no overt racial abuse or racist behaviour" directed against Shilpa, and said the star had not voiced any concerns of racial abuse directly to Big Brother.
However, it admitted there had "undoubtedly been a cultural and class clash between her and three of the British females in the house.
"Unambiguous racist behaviour and language is not tolerated under any circumstances in the Big Brother house. Housemates are constantly monitored and Channel 4 would intervene if a clear instance of this arose," it added.

India takes up Shilpa issue with UK
New Delhi, Jan 17: As alleged racist comments against Shilpa Shetty turned into a controversy, Government today said the Indian High Commission in Britain would look into the matter and sought the Bollywood actress' cooperation in the inquiry.

"The Indian Government is committed against racism. I consulted the External Affairs Minister and requested that the matter be verified and examined by the Indian mission in the UK," Information and Broadcasting Minister P R Dasmunsi told reporters here.

The alleged racial comments on Shetty, during a reality show 'Celebrity Big Brother' on Britain Channel 4, have led to reactions and protests from various political parties as well as people of Asian origin in Britain.

Dasmunsi "appealed" to the actress to "give factual position" to the Indian government representatives in London so that appropriate response to the issue can be firmed up.

However, he pointed out that the actress was in the show as part of a private programme and not as a representative of the Government or industry.

Dasmunsi, however, had a word of advice to such artistes that "before you go to participate in such programmes abroad, keep the Government informed."

Earlier in the day, Minister of State for External Affairs Anand Sharma said he was seized of the matter and would take appropriate action, as needed. "We are looking into all the aspects. We will take appropriate action as required," Sharma said.

The issue came in for condemnation by Left parties and the opposition BJP as also the ruling Congress.

Britain condemned the alleged racist attack, saying it wished to be seen as a "country of tolerance". Noting that there had been nearly 10,000 complaints from viewers about the remarks against Shilpa, Chancellor of the Exchequer Gordon Brown said "I want Britain to be seen round the world as a country of fairness and a country of tolerance." Brown, who is on a three-day visit to India, said in Bangalore that he condemned "any behaviour that would detract from the view of Britain...That we want to be a nation of fairness and tolerance".

In New Delhi, the spokesman of the British High Commission said in a statement that the UK deplores racism of any kind but left it to independent broadcasting regulator Ofcom to look into the matter.

Noting that Ofcom has received 10,000 complaints - the highest ever - over the incident, the spokesman said the British government expects the country's broadcasters to be responsible. If they fail in this, Ofcom can take action.

"We value greatly the role played by the British Indian community in the UK. It goes without saying that the British government deplores racism of any kind," he said.

He, however, said this was "rightly a matter for Ofcom" which will "look into the matter and publish their decision in due course".

The spokesman said the receipt of 10,000 complaints indicated "how appalling the British public finds this behaviour".

Meanwhile, CPI(M) criticised the alleged racist attack on the actress, saying it was "unacceptable" and said appropriate action was needed to put an end to it.

"This is a matter which is completely unacceptable. It is a completely disrespectful thing if it has actually happened," party Polit Bureau member Sitaram Yechury told reporters here.

He said if the reports are correct, they definitely need to be inquired into.

"We believe the British authorities are also seized of the matter and we think immediately something needs to be done," he added. (Agencies)
Shilpa Shetty racism row escalates

LONDON: The controversy over alleged racism towards Shilpa Shetty by fellow-contestants of a British reality TV show escalated on Wednesday with Prime Minister Tony Blair and the Indian government weighing in, albeit with cautious platitudes and a further 10,000 complaints flooding into the television regulatory authority and Channel 4.

The total number of complaints now stands at 16,400, making Shetty's ordeal the most complained-about television show in history.

Angry members of the 1.3-million strong British Indian community told this paper they were mobilizing furiously to keep up the pressure on the authorities to take action over the "degrading and demeaning" behaviour towards Shetty just because "she's Indian, young, beautiful, successful and well-educated".

While a passionate internet campaign to "save Shilpa" gathered pace, cynical TV pundits said the Bollywood star's unexpected first-name recognition in Britain may actually pay her huge celebrity dividends once her ordeal ends.

Though C4 largely remained mum about the issue, it backed away from its previous belittling description of Shetty's bullying at the hands of three other women contestants as "girlie rivalry".

The channel continues to insist Shetty was not called a "Paki" by one of the male contestants.

Police in the English county of Hertfordshire, locale of the Big Brother house, confirmed they are to investigate e mails sent to Channel 4 containing threats against Celebrity Big Brother housemates. Police also confirmed receipt of a complaint about racist behaviour in the house.

Pressure was mounting on C4 to "do something" about the programme, which has two weeks still to run, with the show's sponsor Carphone Warehouse reconsidering its three-million- pound largesse on issues of taste and decency.

In an unprecedented development for a show that is consistently seen to be as successful as it is shallow and sexually-degraded, bookmakers said on Wednesday that they had cut the odds of Celebrity Big Brother not lasting its scheduled run from 20/1 to 5/2.

British television channels added an interview with Sunanda, Shetty's mother, in their wall-to-wall coverage of the story. Sunanda, who said Shetty had agreed not to do "any lip-to-lip kissing with male or females on the show...to cook or eat beef", added that her daughter was "secure inside".