Indian mission issues clarification

NEW DELHI, DEC 27: Seeking to assuage angry film fans in Nepal, the Indian Embassy in Kathmandu today took the unusual step of coming out with a two-page press release clarifying that filmstar Hrithik Roshan had not made any disparaging remarks about Nepal as alleged in a section of the Nepalese media.

“The Embassy of India seeks the cooperation of the print and visual media in Nepal to make known to the people of Nepal that Hrithik Roshan has not made any disparaging remarks about Nepal, as alleged in some earlier reports,” it said. The mission said it was deeply distressed at the violence and the loss of lives resulting from the spread of baseless rumours. The clarification was issued following a protest letter handed over to the mission signed by five representatives of various Nepalese students’ unions.

The mission release said Star Plus, which had telecastthe interview of Hrithik to Simi Grewal, has denied that any such remarks were broadcast on their channel.