LAHORE: Veteran Pakistani actress and television host Mishi Khan has expressed strong displeasure over Indian influencer and actress Neha Swami Bijlani wearing a T-shirt featuring a Mickey Mouse design alongside religious text.
Mishi Khan criticised the incident, saying that religious beliefs and sacred inscriptions should be treated with care and respect. She called on the Indian influencer to issue a public apology, warning that carelessness involving religious symbols and sacred text could hurt people’s sentiments.
The incident has sparked debate on social media, with users expressing criticism over the T-shirt and raising concerns about religious sensitivity.
As the controversy grew, Indian actor Arjun Bijlani and his wife, Neha Swami Bijlani, issued an explanation and apologised for the unintended mistake.
According to Indian media reports, Neha wore the T-shirt while attending an event, prompting strong reactions from social media users. Mishi Khan and others also raised objections and called for an apology.
In their explanation, the couple said the T-shirt had been gifted to them by a fan during a visit to Bangkok. They claimed they were unaware of the text printed on it and did not know its meaning at the time.
The couple emphasised that they had no intention of hurting anyone’s religious sentiments or showing disrespect towards any faith. They also expressed respect for all religions and assured the public that they would take greater care to avoid similar incidents in the future.
However, Arjun and Neha also expressed concern over the online harassment, abusive language and threats directed at them following the controversy. They appealed to the public to approach the matter with understanding, tolerance and a positive attitude.
