Fishermen’s associations across Maharashtra on September 6 objected to a video released by a company which sells fish online via an app. The clip features Varsha Usgaonkar who says that she has “often been cheated by Koli fisherwomen who sold her stale and smelly pomfret”. The actress then goes on to urge people to instead buy fresh fish via the app.
The video went viral and the controversy that followed has prompted Varsha to issue another video to apologise to the Koli community. Devendra Tandel, president of the Akhil Maharashtra Macchimar Kruti Samiti, said that they would not go ahead with a legal notice, as planned, because of the apology. However, he added, they would still file a police complaint against Varsha Usgaonkar for hurting the sentiments of the Kolis.
