Paranoid Kohli denounces invasion of privacy after fan leaks video of his hotel room
Perth (PTI): A flabbergasted and "paranoid" Virat Kohli on Monday denounced the "absolute invasion" of his privacy by a fan, who shot a video of his hotel room and put that in public domain.
Kohli re-shared the video, that went viral on social media, on his Instagram account along with a message, saying he is not okay with such kind of "fanaticism".
"I understand that fans get happy and excited seeing their favourite players and get excited to meet them and I've always appreciated that.
"But this video here is appalling and it's made me feel very paranoid about my privacy," Kohli, who has regained his touch during the ongoing T20 World Cup, wrote.
"If I cannot have privacy in my own hotel room, then where can really expect any personal space at all?? I'm NOT okay with this kind of fanaticism and absolute invasion of privacy. Please respect people's privacy and not treat them as a commodity for entertainment," he wrote further.
In the video, titled 'King Kohli's Hotel Room', a man is seen walking around the room showing Kohli's personal belongings such as health supplements, collection of shoes, his opened suitcase that contained India jerseys, caps and a pair of glasses on his table.
It appears that more than one person, possibly members of hotel staff, were inside the room when the video was shot.
Members of the Indian team on Monday left Perth for Adelaide where they play Bangladesh on Wednesday. India suffered its first defeat in the ongoing T20 World Cup when it lost to South Africa by five wickets at Optus Stadium on Sunday.
Australian opener David Warner too expressed anger at the incident.
"This is ridiculous, totally unacceptable. Was this @crownperth?," Warner commented on Kohli's post.
Kohli's wife and Bollywood actress Anushka Sharma, expectedly, lashed out at people who disrespect people's privacy.
"Have experienced few incidents, where fans have shown no compassion or grace in the past but this really is the worst thing. An absolute disgrace and violation of a human being and anyone who sees this and thinks 'celebrity ho! Toh deal karna padega should know that you are also part of the problem'," fumed Anushka in her Instagram story.
"Exercising some self control helps everyone. Also, if this is happening in your bedroom then where is the line," she wrote.
Virat and Anushka had requested the media to abstain from publishing the pictures of their daughter, Vamika, in January this year after the images of the infant were shown by the broadcaster during India's tour of South Africa.
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Catholic Bishops' body slams Bhagwat's remarks
New Delhi: The Catholic Bishops' Conference of India on Thursday slammed RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat for his reported remark that Pranab Mukherjee, when he was President, had said tribals would turn "anti-national" if there is no "ghar wapsi"Catholic Bishops.'
In a statement issued here, CBCI, a body of Catholic Bishops, referred to reports which said Bhagwat, at an event on Monday, claimed that Mukherjee, while he was President had appreciated ghar wapsi and told him that had it not been for the Sangh's work on reconversion, a section of Adivasis would have turned "anti-national".The CBCI called the report "shocking".
"Fabricated personal conversation being attributed to a former president of India and its posthumous publication with the vested interest of an organization with questionable credibility raises a grave issue of national importance," the CBCI claimed.
"Is it not the violent ghar wapsi program of VHP and other similar organizations, curtailing the exercise of freedom of conscience of economically deprived tribals, the real anti-national activity?" it asked.
'Ghar wapsi' is a term used by the RSS and affiliated organisations to refer to reconversion of Muslims and Christians to Hinduism, based on the belief that they were originally Hindus before converting to other religions.
The CBCI also questioned why Bhagwat did not speak about it while Mukherjee was alive.
"We, the 2.3 percent of Indian citizens who are Christians feel extremely hurt by such manipulated and motivated propaganda unleashed," it said.
In a post on X following the statement issued by CBCI, Trinamool Congress leader Derek O'Brien said, "Speak up. This is a start!"
"Bishops body have issued a statement condemning remarks made by Dr Mohan Bhagwat and RSS for defaming the Christian community," he said.
O'Brien added that they should ask Prime Minister Narendra Modi more questions, including why Christmas Day has been turned into "Good Governance Day".
The TMC leader, in a blogpost earlier this month, had said "hard questions" must be asked to the government with regards to the Christian community, including why the FCRA has been 'weaponised', and why has Manipur been 'ignored'.
