Mandira…FIR Se

(Mandira says sorry after saree kicks up a storm)

So, Mandira Bedi invites an FIR, courtesy her designer saree that places the Indian flag at her feet, well almost.

Mandira’s attire has hardly gone unnoticed. So when she decked out in a Satya Paul saree, a patchwork of the national flags of 16 World Cup nations, the Indian tri-colour was seen at her ankles.

Subsequently, an FIR was lodged against Mandira and designer Punit Nanda for violating the Flag Code and insulting the tri-colour.

After her alarmed husband called her to inform about the row back home, Mandira was to quickly change the saree and apologise for the "inadvertent" lapse.

"I deeply apologise... I didn't mean to disrespect the (Indian) national flag," she said.

Last time it was a tattoo on her back that got the goat of the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) and Mandira had to tender an unconditional apology to save her skin.

Mandira says SORRY after tattoo raises a storm

These days, controversy plagues anyone and everyone who has anything to do with Indian cricket. Mandira Bedi, that czarina of all the fanfare and foofaraw associated with the game, is only the latest in the list.

Sachin Tendulkar’s reported comments against Greg Chappell landed him in trouble inviting a BCCI show cause notice. Ditto with Yuvraj Singh, who is busy these days writing his explanation which is to be submitted to the board soon. Before it could die down, Tendulkar found himself at the centre of another storm with pictures showing him cutting a cake resembling a national flag.

Mahendra Singh Dhoni’s poor World Cup form saw a mob attacking his under-construction house in Ranchi and then his proposed swimming pool irked his neighbours who lodged a complaint, alleging it would bring down the water level.

For Mandira, it was not tirade against Chappell, or poor form or any swimming pool. The anchor apparently incurred the wrath of the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) unconditional public apology from her for displaying the tattoo of Ek Omkar (the Sikh religious symbol) on her back.

Mandira, however, was quick to put a lid on the controversy and said “I have this tattoo because I'm proud to be a Sikh. If this has hurt the religious sentiments of anyone, I'm deeply sorry.” She just hopes that would placate the SGPC.
Incidentally, it's not just her back. Mandira has a Tibetan Om tattoo on her lower waist. "...so my belly button acts as the chandra bindu (dot) above it,” a proud Mandira said. The Tibetans , however, are yet to file a complaint.