Bhopal: After Madhya Pradesh Congress spokesperson, Abbas Hafeez, sent a legal notice to Bollywood actor Kareena Kapoor Khan over her social media photographs featuring her wearing a huge vintage emerald pendant bearing a Quranic verse, a Hindu outfit has backed the star.
Demanding the removal of the social media photographs and a public apology over it, Hafeez said his objection was not to the actor wearing the jewellery but to the manner in which the religious inscription was displayed on social media, claiming it had hurt the sentiments of the Muslim community.
Hafeez’s advocate Mohammad Zafar said the pendant carried a verse from the Holy Quran, which is considered sacred in Islam, and that religious practices prescribe ritual ablution before touching or reciting the holy texts.
The legal notice seeks the removal of the photographs and related posts, an apology and an assurance against displaying the religious inscription in a manner considered disrespectful.
Hafeez said the pendant was associated with the heritage of the Begums of Bhopal and was worn as an expression of faith rather than as a fashion accessory.
He, however, clarified that the issue was his personal initiative and should not be linked to the Congress party, its ideology or political position.
The controversy centres on an emerald pendant described by celebrity stylist Rhea Kapoor as an approximately 200-year-old heirloom of the former Bhopal royal family.
Kapoor had shared photographs of Kareena wearing the jewellery as part of her Diwali look.
The historical connection is linked to the Pataudi family as actor Saif Ali Khan’s grandmother Sajida Sultan was the daughter of Hamidullah Khan, the last ruling Nawab of Bhopal.
She married Iftikhar Ali Khan Pataudi, and their son was former Indian cricket captain Mansoor Ali Khan Pataudi, Saif’s father.
Meanwhile, Hindu Utsav Samiti president Chandra Shekhar Tiwari has extended support to Kareena and said she did not need to apologise to anyone.
“A pendant is meant to be worn around the neck, close to the heart. If it bears Quranic verses, she would not have worn it at any place considered disrespectful. She does not need to apologise to anyone,” Tiwari said.
He also argued that Kareena, being the daughter-in-law of the erstwhile Bhopal royal family, could naturally wear jewellery belonging to her mother-in-law.
The Hindu Utsav Samiti and Sanskriti Bachao Manch have also expressed support for the actor. There was no immediate public response from Kareena Kapoor or her representatives to the legal notice.
(IANS)
