Swachh Bharat brand ambassadors – need clean image?

Should brand ambassadors of a Clean India (Swachh Bharat) have a clean image?

Should brand ambassadors of a Clean India (Swachh Bharat) have a clean image?
Should brand ambassadors of a Clean India (Swachh Bharat) have a clean image?

Amitabh Bachchan, whose name figures in the Panama Papers, is the brand ambassador to tell Indians not to defecate in the open. It is a sad commentary that even more than six decades after independence we have to appeal to people not to ease themselves in the open. Now the Income Tax dept has sent notices to Big B despite his denial of any links to accounts in Panama. The International Consortium of Journalists had dug up evidence against him, among others, and it is currently being probed by the IT department. The question is when the Central govt makes the actor the brand ambassador of one of its campaigns, will any IT guy in his senses dare proceed against the ageing superstar?

Another case in point is that of Salman Khan, against whom the appeal in the hit n run case is pending. He has been roped in by the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation(BMC), to tell Mumbaikars not to defecate in the open. The Devendra Fadnavis govt which had described the Bombay High Court judgment a “travesty of justice” and has gone in appeal against Salman Khan’s acquittal, has not objected to the BMC hiring Salman. The BMC comes under the urban development ministry which is held by CM Phadnavis. This effectively compromises the state govt’s appeal before the Supreme Court. How can the prosecution act impartially when Salman Khan’s clout vis a vis the state govt is well known now? Couldn’t the BMC get anyone else to be the brand ambassador of its anti-open-sh*tting campaign? Why everything has to be a scam in our country? More importantly what kind of message does this send to the youth of the country? That you can commit a crime as long as you have the wealth/ contacts to get away with it?

Note:
1. Text in Blue points to additional data on the topic.
2. The views expressed here are those of the author and do not necessarily represent or reflect the views of PGurus.

Advocate and Senior Journalist who was formerly City Editor & Chief of Bureau of The Times of India, Mumbai. He has also served in the MumbaiMunicipal Council.
S Balakrishnan
Latest posts by S Balakrishnan (see all)

2 COMMENTS

  1. SRK, Aamir are bad and anti national because srk rammed car into people who were sleeping on footpath after drinking. he got away even after driver confessed that the owner was driving the car. footpath guys also identified. also srk hunted black bucks. and did many other evil deed apart from warning vivek oberoi etc..

    Aamir evaded taxes, he did money laundering through panama, he was with congress in 84 when it was in its peak, then with SS and NCP during coalition days and now with BJP when BJP is in power

    Sulman and Bacchan are dhoodh ka dhula… because they are buddies of modi-shah duo

  2. I do not see issue with Amitabh Bachchan being brand ambassador. He is not filthy rich with corruption or hawala money..like SRK, Amir khan …from Daewod. Think of why all muslim flooded in Bollywood. supporting pak n terrorist. filled with anti national. I hope someone investigate Bollywood.

    Please do not show pop culture news. I love Pgurus articles, real issues.

LEAVE A REPLY

Please enter your comment!
Please enter your name here