/> Moral police goes skirt-chasing with Mallika.. Bollywood reacts.

Malaika Arora: "I think Mallika has become a favourite punching-bag in the press. Leave the girl alone. It's ridiculous. Maybe the moral police in the South should take a closer look at their own films for obscenity.

Shilpa Shetty (actress,reality-show celebrity, yoga instructor): " I'm just happy that the obscenity case against my dress in Tamil Nadu is quashed. I won.

Rahul Khanna (actor): '"I feel quite sad for the moral police. Perhaps they're jealous of Mallika's legs. They seem to have a lot of free time on hand? Why not use it for issues more important than length of skirts?

Hema Malini (actress, dancer, parliamentarian): "I was there in Chennai. Mallika's dress was looking good. She too was looking very good. But perhaps the dress was a little too short for the occasion. Who knows!

Sonu Sood (actor): "Some people have all the time in the world to measure dress lengths. Good for them. At least moral policing keeps some people busy. At the same time I feel some celebrities dress a certain way to attract attention and create controversies. Ignore them. It will avoid unnecessary publicity.

Rohit Roy (actor, tv anchor): "What can one say...I'd love to know what the moral police was doing looking at Ms Sherawat's crossed legs? Maybe waiting for them to uncross???

Lilette Dubey: "Who's this self-appointed brigade? And what are they afraid of? Influencing the youth of this country?

A generation that's now exposed to cinema, fashion and images from around the world right there in their homes? It's up the individual to decide what she wears and if she can handle the public gaze then it's her prerogative to dress the way she wants.

Amrita Arora (actor): "It's ridiculous. What's wrong with wearing a short skirt? And why only target Mallika for it? Girls in colleges and work places across the country are wearing them. Go get all of them,you moral cops! By the way there're much more serious things to be done in our country than 'skirt-chasing'.

Diya Mirza (former beauty queen,actor): "I think they've no right to comment on Mallika. I think they should instead give attention to the sleaze content in some of their films. Stop pointing fingers at someone just because you've nothing better to do.

Niharika Singh (beauty queen, model, actor): "I think this is complete hypocrisy. Films down south have a lot more skin show. There's no need to make a mountain out of a molehill

Sophie Chowdhary (veejay/singer/actress): "I think the reaction to Mallika's skirt is ridiculous. According to me the outfit is definitely not vulgar or offensive. Surely there're a hundred other issues in our country to get upset about. Leave Mallika and her clothes alone.

Priyanka (Nisha) Kothari: "I think the moral police are more publicity crazy than any other section of our society.

Samir Soni (model/actor):"I believe what is moral or immoral is an extremely personal decision. No group of people have the right to force their value system on us unless an individual's action inconveniences others or obstructs someone's fundamental rights.

Aryan Vaid (model, actor, tv anchor): What can one say? This isn't really about protection of any morals but the narrow political interests of a group of people.

The laws of the land seem to apply in different measures to different sections of people. There was nothing wrong with Mallika's outfit. But there's a long wrong with these moral terrorist outfits."

Sandhya Mridul: "With due respect the actresses down South wear clothes that seem pretty suggestive and sexy. So what's their problem?

The moral police all over the country should keep tabs on real moral issues rather than the clothes actress' wear. Incidentally why are only actresses pulled up for extra-censoring? Why not the males who nowadays pose in less than women?"

Pooja Bedi: "I think the more importance the media gives such people the more such cases we'll see. The quickest route to fame is to sue celebrities. Morality is so subjective. Do these moralists want to take us back to the days of the purdah?

And should their standards of morality be applicable to society? Was there a dress code at the music event ? If not how could they expect a girl with a glamorous sexy image to land up in a salwar-kameez?

Gul Panag: "Why should it be anyone's business what someone wears or doesn't wear? The moral police should close down Khajuraho or dress up the sculpture in 'suitable' clothes before attacking anyone.

Nandana Sen: " It's absurd! Mallika is beautiful and has a style of her own. How can anyone have the right to say that style is wrong? Should we all start wearing uniforms now to make everyone happy? Clothes are one of the ways in which a person expresses her or his individuality.

Dictating what another individual wears is as ridiculous as a third party forbidding you, a writer, from choosing certain topics.Or me, an actor, from taking on certain roles. And if I decide to do what I choose, should my nose and ear be cut as happened today?

What's the issue with Mallika's clothes? If the concern is protecting women's dignity, why don't we create a safe and protective environment so that little girls aren't thrown into fires for stepping beyond boundaries that should never have been set up?