Actor Arjun Bijlani and his wife Neha Swami Bijlani have issued a joint public statement tendering an unconditional apology following severe social media backlash regarding an outfit recent worn by Neha.
The controversy erupted after Neha was spotted wearing a t-shirt featuring printed text in Urdu that included sacred references. The attire sparked an outcry among online users who argued that religious text should be treated with utmost sanctity.
Joint Statement and Clarification
Addressing the escalating online criticism and personal harassment, the couple took to Instagram to clarify the situation, emphasizing that the oversight was completely unintentional and stemmed from a lack of awareness regarding the translation.
In their joint statement, Arjun and Neha explained the origin of the garment and urged the public for understanding:
”We would like to address the ongoing situation concerning Neha Swami Bijlani and the T-shirt she was recently spotted wearing, which featured words in Urdu referring to the Prophet. Neha was completely unaware of the meaning and significance of the writing on the T-shirt when she wore it. There was absolutely no intention to hurt, disrespect or offend the religious sentiments of any individual or community.”
The couple further revealed that the t-shirt had been gifted to them by a fan at a shopping mall in Bangkok during a travel trip, and they were unaware of the script’s meaning.
Plea Against Online Abuse
Highlighting the distressing nature of the online harassment and threats directed at Neha following the incident, the statement added:
”A situation arising from a lack of awareness should not become a reason to subject an individual to online harassment or threats… We are sorry for what happened unintentionally and we will always be careful in future with regards to the gifts received. We request everyone to approach this matter with understanding, sensitivity and compassion.”
The couple concluded by expressing hope that their prompt clarification helps put the matter into perspective and puts an end to hate speech and online intimidation.
