Our Bureau
Melbourne
Malayali actress Navya Nair has been in the news all of a sudden as she has faced a heavy fine of Rs 1.14 lakh for carrying jasmine flowers at Melbourne Airport in Australia. The news seemed very unusual for many as women wearing flowers as Gajra is a common occurrence in South India but in Australia the rules are different.
Navya was visiting Australia to participate in the Onam celebrations that were organised by the Malayali Association of Victoria. During her trip, the actress was stopped at Melbourne International Airport as she was carrying a 15-cm-long jasmine gajra and for that Navya was fined AUD 1,980 about Rs 1.14 lakh which she will have to pay within 28 days.
During a public event Navya shared her side of the story, narrating how her father had got her the Jasmine Gajra and asked her to wear them during her journey. However, she took accountability of her actions stating that she made a mistake even though it was unintentional but that is no excuse to go against the law.
“Before I came here, it was my father who bought jasmine for me. He cut it into two parts and gave it to me. He asked me to wear one in my hair from Kochi to Singapore, since it would wither by the time I reached. He told me to keep the second one in my handbag so I could wear it on the onward journey from Singapore. I put it in my carry bag,” Navya shared during a public event.
“What I did was against the law. It was a mistake I made unknowingly. However, ignorance is no excuse. For bringing a 15 cm jasmine string, officials asked me to pay a fine of AUD 1,980 (Rs 1.14 lakh). A mistake is a mistake, though it was not intentional. They told me the fine must be paid within 28 days,” she added.
