'Problematic', Nitin Gadkari Receives Flak Over Akshay Kumar's Ad That Allegedly Promotes Dowry
Union Minister Nitin Gadkari has received backlash online for sharing a road safety campaign ad that features Akshay Kumar.
Union Road, Transport, and Highway minister Nitin Gadkari has been slammed on social media for sharing a road safety ad campaign that features Bollywood star Akshay Kumar.
Critics have pointed out that the advertisement that was supposed to promote road safety is 'problematic' as it encourages the 'dowry' culture, which is a punishable offense in India.
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Gadkari caught the attention of social media critics on Friday after he shared the video on his official Twitter handle amid the central government's attempt to promote road safety by having six airbags in cars.
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Soon after, criticizing Gadkari on the micro-blogging platform over the "problematic" advertisement, Shiv Sena leader Priyanka Chaturvedi wrote, "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?¡±
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? https://t.co/0QxlQcjFNI
¡ª Priyanka Chaturvedi?? (@priyankac19) September 11, 2022
National spokesperson of Trinamool Congress Saket Gokhale also took a dig at Gadkari and expressed that it was "disgusting to see the Indian government officially promoting dowry."
1. Disgusting to see Indian govt officially promoting dowry. What even???
¡ª Saket Gokhale (@SaketGokhale) September 11, 2022
2. Cyrus Mistry died because the road design was faulty. That spot is an accident-prone area.
Amazing way to deflect responsibility by pushing for 6 air bags (& expensive cars) instead of fixing roads. https://t.co/vTiTdkeei2
"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?" a third user tweeted.
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"Not everyone can afford airbags. Instead try to improve the road safety, design, lights, and signs as well. Many accidents happen due to dividers which people cannot see on dark roads," another said.
Not everyone can afford airbags. Instead try to improve the road safety, design, lights, and signs as well. Many accidents happen due to dividers which people cannot see on dark roads.
¡ª Govind Gupta (@iGovindG) September 12, 2022
Promoting dowry aside, are you going to tax such vehicles more ?
¡ª ?????? | |????? | ??????? | Jacob (@Jacobji01) September 12, 2022
Or will you give tax deductions for people's safety?https://t.co/erGzVMgfYo
Glorifying dowry in an official government ad.
¡ª Abhijith (@yesabhijith) September 12, 2022
It's 2022 and this shit is still going around. https://t.co/7HiZMPOvFE
When our governments itself will promote dowry culture what could be said to the common people who is still practising this.
¡ª Shivang (@justicekar) September 12, 2022
Why govt officials who reviewed this ad raised any questions ? #National_Road_Safety_2022 #IndianWomen @nitin_gadkari @RahulGandhi @BJP4India @INCIndia https://t.co/aPWvPBJVC0
When are you jumping into a well?? https://t.co/EJOwkDIObF
¡ª Vina (@Vina98765943) September 12, 2022
Surely, the ad agency could have thought of something better to highlight the need of 6 airbags by NOT normalising and glorifying practice of dowry https://t.co/2QNvxCANiq
¡ª Shreya Mukherjee (@shreya27mukh) September 12, 2022
Yeh kya wahiyat ad hai?@akshaykumar sahab ladke waalon ko sandesh de rahe hain ke car wohi dahej mein lena jismein 6 air bags hon. Do the Govt and this celebrity even know what they are promoting? https://t.co/ip9eewMek0
¡ª Rakhi Tripathi (@rakhitripathi) September 12, 2022
Over 80% people couldn't (two airbags) afford 7-8 lakhs car. So how can they afford 6 airbags's 35-40 laks car ? https://t.co/xbpfAWDI8B
¡ª Pradeep Nain (@ParNain9) September 12, 2022
Trying to promote air bags but instead promoted dowry. https://t.co/kXuWsXXdrk
¡ª Ying Yang Dahibara Gang (@dahibaraaloodam) September 12, 2022
What a sorry excuse! Glorifying dowry in the guise of safety awareness!
¡ª JD Scarface 7 (@jillsdaniel) September 12, 2022
Not to mention majority of Indian cars have Zero NCAP rating - meaning they'll crumble like pappad on the roads, but now they come with 6 airbags.
So you can now crumble in comfort https://t.co/sPJxIxWhWQ
About the Road Safety Ad campaign
The road safety ad featuring Akshay Kumar has gone viral on the internet and shows a father crying while bidding farewell to his daughter, who just got married.
Actor Akshay Kumar is seen donning the khaki uniform in the advertisement and can be heard taunting the girl's grieving father for sending the bride and the groom in a car that has only two safety airbags in it.
Here's Gadkari's viral tweet:
6 ?????? ???? ????? ?? ??? ?? ?????? ?? ???????? ??????#?????????_????_???????_2022#National_Road_Safety_2022 @akshaykumar pic.twitter.com/5DAuahVIxE
¡ª Nitin Gadkari (@nitin_gadkari) September 9, 2022
He then asks the father to send them in a car that has six airbags. Gadkari shared the advertisement alongside a caption that read in Hindi, "Make life safer by traveling in a vehicle with 6 airbags."
Meanwhile, the government launched the road safety advertisement after the tragic death of Cyrus Mistry, the former chairman of Indian conglomerate Tata Sons, in a deadly car accident on Sunday.
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