Bollywood star Shilpa Shetty recently took to social media to address an incident that occurred during a flag-hoisting ceremony on Independence Day.
Shetty, who was attending the ceremony with her sister Shamita Shetty, encountered an unwelcome situation when a paparazzo began filming her without permission. Disturbed by the lack of consent, Shetty approached the photographer and asked him to either capture the moment respectfully or cease filming altogether. She requested, “Please bhai, iske saath mazaak mat kariye, usko sahi se dikhaiye. Please band kariye aap (Please brother, don’t make a joke out of this. Show this properly or shut it off).” The paparazzo responded with an apology, saying, “Thank you so much ma’am.”
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In addition to this incident, Shetty faced criticism online for wearing shoes during the flag hoisting ceremony. On August 15, 2023, Shetty shared a video on her Instagram celebrating Independence Day with her family. Despite the festive spirit, netizens criticized her for not following traditional protocols. Shetty responded firmly to the backlash, sharing a screenshot of the Flag Code of India that confirms there are no prohibitions against wearing shoes while hoisting the national flag.
She defended herself with a follow-up Instagram story, emphasizing her respect for the flag and the country, stating, “I am aware of the ‘Rules’ of conduct while hoisting the flag; the RESPECT for my country and THE FLAG stems from my heart and not up for questioning.” She added, “Today’s post was to share and celebrate that emotion. To all the trollers (that I ignore usually), DO NOT appreciate YOU airing your ignorance and spreading negativity on this Day. So get your facts right and please BACK OFF.”
