After publicly apologising over an old video in which comedian Bharti Singh allegedly mocked men with beards, she has been charged under Section 295-A (deliberate and malicious acts, intended to outrage reli gious feelings) of the Indian Penal Code.
The FIR was registered in Punjab’s Amritsar on Monday night by Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee. The complaint said that Bharti Singh had hurt the sentiments of Sikhs. Several human rights and Sikh organisations, including the SAD’s women wing, staged a protest in Amritsar.
In an old video that went viral, Bharti Singh was heard saying, “Daadi mooch kyu nahi chahiye. Daadi mooch ke bade fayede hote hain. Dudh piyo, aise daadi munh mein daalo, sewaiyon ka taste aata hai. Mere kaafi friends logo ki shaadi hui hai na, jinki itni itni daadi hai, saara din daadi mein se jue nikalti rehti hai”.
Bharti’s video garnered a lot of negative comments. Later, she apologised saying, “There’s a video that’s been going viral from the last 3 to 4 days claiming that I have made fun of ‘daadi mooch’. I have seen the video repeatedly and requested people to watch it too as I have not said anything against any religion or caste. I didn’t mock any Punjabi or what problems happen when you keep ‘daadi mooch'”.
Singh continued, “I was doing comedy with my friend but if it has hurt the sentiments of any section, I apologise with folded hands. I am a Punjabi myself, I was born in Amritsar and I’ve always respected it. I am a proud Punjabi, too.”
