In a relief to Bollywood actor Salman Khan, the Rajasthan High Court, on Monday, stayed the police investigation against him for allegedly making casteist remarks during the promotion of his movie, Tiger Zinda Hai. A complaint was filed on 23 December, 2017 against Salman Khan and Shilpa Shetty Kundra for allegedly hurting the sentiments of the Valmiki community by using the word ‘bhangi’ in a TV show.
The FIR had been filed in Churu district by 23-year-old Ashok Panwar. Both these actors have been accused of using the word ‘bhangi’ in a disrespectful context. Salman had allegedly used ‘bhangi’ referring to his style of dancing in films on one of his appearances in a reality show. Shilpa, during an interaction with the media said that she is always dressed like a ‘bhangi’ at home. “I look like a bhangi doing this step,” said Salman in an old promotional video. Shilpa, when asked about her looks at home, said, “I look like a bhangi.”
However, the Rajasthan SC’s decision has come as a big relief for the actor. “Khan had moved the high court with a prayer to quash this FIR against him and Justice Sandeep Mehta, after hearing the arguments today, stayed the FIR”, said the actor’s counsel Mahesh Bora.
#BREAKING — Relief for Salman Khan. Rajasthan HC stays investigation against Salman Khan for allegedly making derogatory comments about Valmiki community pic.twitter.com/H6wLrdRhdZ
— News18 (@CNNnews18) February 26, 2018
The counsel further argued in the court that the word used by Khan was not aimed at or directed towards the Valmiki community. He claimed that Khan was describing his own appearance in a dance sequence of the film. “In such a situation, there was no question about humiliating or hurting the sentiments of the community, so there was no case against him maintainable under the SC/ST Act,” argued Bora.