January 18, 2007	Thursday	Zilhaj 27, 1427

LONDON, Jan 17: A row over the alleged racist bullying of a top Bollywood star on a British reality TV show reached parliament on Wednesday, as India vowed to take “appropriate action” over the growing controversy.

Around 15,000 people have now written complaints to regulators and broadcaster Channel Four, which is under growing pressure to do more to protect Indian star Shilpa Shetty from fellow contestants in its “Celebrity Big Brother” show.

The issue was raised during prime minister’s question time in parliament when Tony Blair told the House of Commons that he had not seen the show but backed “the principle of opposing racism in all its forms”. Shetty is one of nine stars locked in a house for “Celebrity Big Brother” whose activities are broadcast round the clock by Channel Four.

Shetty, 31, has been reduced to tears by the antics of some of her fellow housemates who have taunted her about Indian cooking, whether she has “stubble,” and whether she lived in a house or a shack. In New Delhi on Wednesday, Indian junior foreign minister Anand Sharma said the government was “looking into all the aspects” of the situation.

“We will take appropriate action as required,” Sharma told reporters. “The world knows that India has throughout firmly rejected all forms of discrimination and racism.” British MP Keith Vaz, who raised the issue during Blair’s question time, said the language being used by the other Big Brother contestants was “just not acceptable in this day and age”.—AFP