Protest over Shilpa-Gere kiss justified

MUMBAI: Without admitting that its activists were involved in the protest against actress Shilpa Shetty's kiss with Hollywood star Richard Gere, the Shiv Sena on Monday said there was nothing wrong with expressing contempt at such an act.

"Even if the protest has been staged by the Shiv Sainiks, I would not blame them as the way Shilpa Shetty and Richard Gere indulged in a shameless public display, it was not at all in keeping with our culture and tradition," Sena MP Sanjay Raut said.

"Moreover, the visual media kept relaying the same clip again and again which was also not in good taste," he said.

Observing that protests are just a manifestation of the anger of the general public, Raut said, "This may be Hollywood culture but a majority of people in India will not like to see such public display of affection."

Over 50 alleged Shiv Sainiks stormed the Vashi railway station where Shilpa was shooting for her film 'Metro' and protested by burning effigies of the actors and shouting slogans.