Juhi Chawla on 5G lawsuit: Received some bad press and publicity, but also support from others

In an Instagram video, actor Juhi Chawla spoke about the reasons why she chose to file a lawsuit objecting the role out of 5G technology in India. She also explained that she had been campaigning against electronic magnetic field radiation or EMF radiation for almost a decade. “Whatever happened in June left me hurt and confused. I received some bad press and publicity but I also received heartwarming messages from people telling me that they completely supported me,” she said in the video. In the video, the actor said her drive to raise awareness against the radiations that cellular towers emit began in 2010. That year 14 towers were erected over a guest house opposite her residence. Concerned over news reports about the harmful effects of radiation from cell phone towers, Chawla then contacted an agency to test her house for radiation levels.

When the results came back, it was found that her home had harmful levels of radiation present, which could cause multiple adverse effects. Chawla said the results made her contact various governmental agencies and filing Public Interest Litigations (PILs) and petitions regarding the removal of the cell phone towers near her home. It was later found that 13 out of the 14 towers over the Sahyadri Guest House had been erected illegally.   The Hum Hain Rahi Pyar Ke actor added that people soon began contacting her about the cell phone towers coming up near their homes. She then reiterated that her demand is only that the government certifies whether 5G technology is safe for humankind. The Delhi High Court had called Chawla’s petition a means for “gaining publicity” and also fined the actor and her co-petitioners Rs 20 lakh.  On the issue of her petition being dismissed, Chawla said the incident left her “feeling hurt and confused,” as per media reports. She added that she received both brickbats and praise for her efforts.   Chawla also said a group of farmers had contacted her as they wished to start a campaign to collect some money “from each of their 10,000 farmer community to help me pay the hefty penalty".