VHP, Bajrang Dal file court complaint against Bhajji

Chandigarh, Oct 10 (PTI) After the Akal Takht, Harbhajan Singh's 'Ravana act' in a TV dance reality show has earned the ire of Vishwa Hindu Parishad (V.H.P.) and other Hindu outfits who have filed a complaint in a local court here against the cricketer.

Chief Judicial Magistrate Kanchan Mahi fixed the hearing on Monday after Punjab V.H.P. spokesman Vijay Singh Bhardwaj and others alleged in their complaint that Harbhajan, his co-participant TV actress Mona Singh and the channel that aired the programme had "intentionally and deliberately" hurt the religious feelings of Hindus.

Bhardwaj was referring to the 28-year-old maverick off-spinner's performance during the show 'Ek Khiladi, Ek Hasina' aired recently.

Arvind Thakur, who is also chairman of Akhil Bhartiya
Rajput Council, and the Punjab Unit of Bajrang Dal are also
party to the complaint.

The Akal Takht, the temporal seat of Sikhs, had
earlier taken exception to the behaviour of the Sikh cricketer
which, it said, had caused severe resentment among the
community and had sought an apology from him.

"To wear a tilak (vermilion) on the forehead and to
dress like Ravana and dance with a woman publicly is highly
disgusting. The act was shown on several TV channels and the
Sikh community can never tolerate such behaviour," Jathedar
Gyani Gurbachan Singh had said on Wednesday.

Two years ago, Harbhajan had apologised after Shiromani
Gurudwara Prabandhak Committee (S.G.P.C.), the apex religious
body of the Sikhs, slammed the bowler for leaving his hair
uncovered in an advertisement.