Mumbai, Sep 12 (IANS): Actress Pooja Bedi says this recent culture of bans, especially in Maharashtra, is "ridiculous" and needs to go.

"I think this banning business is ridiculous, we should all ban bans. We need to ban this whole culture of shutting down and banning things. If you have to ban something, ban products which are actually harmful for us like cigarettes. Smoking also affects the health of people standing around you. But we won't ban such things. We're told don't eat fish, don't eat meat, don't wear miniskirts and other such things," said Pooja when asked about the recent four-day meat ban in Mumbai.

The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has banned the sale of meat for four days over a week as the Jain fasting season of Paryushan will be underway. Recently, actrss Sonam Kapoor drew flak for her comments on the same issue. Other than this, beef is also banned in Maharashtra.

Pooja said: "According to me, this is a democracy and in a democracy, individual choice is the most important thing. If we feel that we're adults and adults are empowered to make important decisions. We can certainly decide if we want to eat beef, pork, fish or wear miniskirts or drink alcohol."

Pooja was present along with celebrities such as Manish Paul, Priya Dutt among others at the Asian Reincarnation and Theosophical Seminar. Regarding the concept of reincarnation, she said, "I believe immensely in past life regression. I've ventured into my past life and have experienced it. What I was in the previous life and why I've taken birth in this world, I believe in all of this because I've seen it on my own."

Pooja, currently seen solving the problems of people in a column in the entertainment supplement of a leading newspaper, has acted in films such as "Jo Jeeta Wohi Sikandar" and hosted her own show "Just Pooja" which was graced by leading Bollywood stars.