Gadkari faces flak online for ad campaign featuring Akshay: ‘Who passes such…’

By | Written by Kunal Gaurav
Sep 12, 2022 06:41 AM IST

Union road transport minister Nitin Gadkari shared a series of video ads featuring Akshay Kumar to promote road safety and one of them caught the attention of social media users – but not for good reasons.

A video on road safety campaign featuring Bollywood actor Akshay Kumar drew flak online as many alleged that the advertisement was promoting the practice of dowry, a punishable offence in the country. On Friday, Union minister Nitin Gadkari shared the video on social media amid the government's attempt to promote six airbags in cars.

National Road Safety Campaign ad featuring Akshay Kumar.
National Road Safety Campaign ad featuring Akshay Kumar.

In the video, a father can be seen crying at the bride's farewell. Akshay Kumar, starring as a policeman, taunts the father for sending the newly married couple in a car that has just two airbags.

Calling the advertisement “problematic”, Shiv Sena leader Priyanka Chaturvedi wondered who passes such creatives that end up “promoting the evil and criminal act of dowry.”

“This is such a problematic advertisement. Who passes such creatives? Is the government spending money to promote the safety aspect of a car or promoting the evil& criminal act of dowry through this ad?” Chaturvedi tweeted.

Saket Gokhale, the national spokesperson of Trinamool Congress, said it was “[d]isgusting to see Indian govt officially promoting dowry.”

The road safety advertisement was launched after Cyrus Mistry, the former chairman of Indian conglomerate Tata Sons, died in a car crash on Sunday, Gokhale alleged that the car crash occurred due to faulty road design and the government was deflecting responsibility by pushing for six airbags instead of fixing roads.

Another user wrote, “This ad is the pits.Lost the plot completely. Is this about the wedding,the bride or that dowry should be 6 airbag car-what is it? These govt ads are so puerile and ill conceived.They couldn't talk about safety any other way?”

“Only in India would the Govt spend taxpayer money to create an ad campaign promoting a punishable offence, dowry,” wrote another.

Earlier on Friday, Gadkari thanked Kumar for his support to the nationwide National Road Safety Campaign, saying his "efforts in spreading the awareness on road safety issues is truly commendable."

“We're committed to bring down road accidents in India with awareness & public participation,” he wrote on Twitter.

According to a Reuters report, Gadkari expects to finalise rules for all cars to have six airbags by the end of the current fiscal year.

Get Latest India Newsalong with Latest Newsand Top Headlinesfrom India and around the world.
SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON
  • ABOUT THE AUTHOR

    Follow the latest breaking news and developments from India and around the world with Hindustan Times' newsdesk. From politics and policies to the economy and the environment, from local issues to national events and global affairs, we've got you covered.

SHARE
Story Saved
Live Score
OPEN APP
×
Saved Articles
Following
My Reads
My Offers
Sign out
New Delhi 0C
Monday, June 05, 2023
Start 14 Days Free Trial Subscribe Now
Register Free and get Exciting Deals