saw the photos of
skimpily-dressed actresses including Aishwariya Rai, Manisha Koirala and
Raveena Tandon on the covers of the diaries.
tp://www.telegraphindia.com/
http://www.telegraphindia.com/
STAR SNAPS IN HOUSE LEAVE GOVERNMENT BLUSHING
FROM OUR SPECIALCORRESPONDENT
Mumbai, March 29:
Two days ago, her picture on the cover of a film magazine landed her in
trouble. Today, her picture on the covers of the Assembly diaries landed
the government in trouble.
It was a sweet revenge for Sonali Bendre, nursing her wounds in the
confines of her home since the state government ordered her arrest on
Tuesday in a 1998 case over a dress she wore which it said had insulted
Hinduism.
Opposition BJP and Shiv Sena members took out government-distributed
diaries with Bendre and her fellow Bollywood actresses on the covers in
the Upper House today, catching deputy chief minister Chhagan Bhujbal,
who is believed to have given the police the go-ahead as home minister
to the actress’ arrest, off guard.
“How can the same government that ordered the arrest of Sonali Bendre
distribute diaries that have the actress on the cover?’’ former Sena
culture minister Pramod Navalkar asked.
“We members are embarrassed by this act of the government,’’ echoed
Leader of Opposition, Nitin Gadkari, who is from the BJP.
Opposition members found the potential ammunition when they opened a
small briefcase they were presented with by the government on the
opening day of the budget session.
The briefcase contained copies of the Governor’s address, diaries and
pens.
Initially, legislators were amused when they saw the photos of
skimpily-dressed actresses including Aishwariya Rai, Manisha Koirala and
Raveena Tandon on the covers of the diaries.
Opposition members sensed the political explosives hidden in the diaries
when police arrested Bendre — a photographer and a designer — for
adorning the cover of Showtime magazine in a kurta printed with
religious motifs and sacred words.
Though the diaries had pictures of a number of actresses, the Opposition
picked on Bendre’s photograph for its potential to embarrass the
government.
After being caught on the back foot, Bhujbal, an adroit politician,
tried to diffuse the situation with banters. “I would not mind taking
back the picture if the Opposition members did not like them,’’ he said.
Guffaw and cackle broke out from the treasury bench, which found it hard
to defend the government on this sticky issue.
“How would you justify the arrest of Sonali Bendre for posing semi-nude
on a magazine cover when you are distributing her photo to the MLAs,’’
Navalkar said.
Council chairman N.S. Pharande, presiding over the House, said, tongue
firmly in cheek, he understood the members’ dilemma. “I know what you
will face if you go home to your wives with such glamourous photos.’’
He suggested light-heartedly that the members who do not know what to do
with the photos leave them in their lockers in the MLAs’ hostel.
In the next breath, Pharande pulled up the government for not taking
enough care to see such photos were not distributed to the members with
the Governor’s address.
Afterwards, a government official said the private agency that had
supplied the diaries had made the mistake. “It would be suitably
punished for embarrassing the government,’’ he add
: 
When was i for real?
I am myself a dream
I always see you
watching me tenderly