The famous Zubaan-Kesari ads have gained popularity over time. People's reactions have also been' extreme, with A-listers like Ajay Devgn, Shah Rukh Khan, and Akshay Kumar headlining the ad campaigns.
Goa BJP's medical cell convenor, Shekhar Salkar, has urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to take back the Padma awards of Bollywood celebrities who endorse tobacco products.?
In a series of tweets, he mentioned Bollywood actors Amitabh Bachchan, Ajay Devgn, Akshay Kumar, and Shah Rukh Khan and why they should give back their Padma awards for featuring in surrogate advertisements promoting tobacco products.
"I have no words to condemn the way Akshay Kumar has joined the gang of Amitabh Bachchan, Shah Rukh Khan, and Ajay Devgan to promote cancer through a surrogate advt of tobacco product. Ironically, all these people are Padma award winners," Salkar Tweeted.?
?"While @PMOIndia is working overtime to make India healthy through the Fit India movement, these so-called influencers humiliated the entire mission with their surrogate advt trapping the younger generation into tobacco consumption. Do these actors really deserve Padmashri," asked Salkar, an office-bearer of the National Organisation for Tobacco Eradication.?
"People have put their faith in these disgraced, dishonorable actors who have sold their soul and ethics to make money at the cost of minds of innocent youth who emulate them and get adversely influenced and initiated to tobacco consumption," he added.
Bachchan is the Padma Vibhushan award recipient, while Khan, Devgn, and Akshay Kumar have been awarded the Padmashri award, the country's fourth-highest civilian honor.
(With agency inputs)
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