A still from the show Bhabiji Ghar Par HainZee Network has found itself under the scanner after viewers objected to its shows blatantly promoting Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s schemes. While &TV’s Bhabiji Ghar Par Hain spoke about the Swachh Bharat campaign, a recent episode of Zee TV’s Tujshe Hi Raabta had the mention of Pradhan Mantri Mudra Yojana.
Congress has demanded a ban on the channels stating that it’s violating the code of conduct before the elections. Sachin Sawant, GS & Spokesperson – Maharashtra Congress, posted a video on his Twitter account stating, “Congress Demands Action against ZEE TV and & TV for violating code of conduct; Charlatan BJP employing deceptive and illegal means to influence electorate.”
Congress Demands Action against ZEE TV and & TV for violating code of conduct; Charlatan BJP employing deceptive and illegal means to influence electorate pic.twitter.com/dykdnSoHgg
— Sachin Sawant (@sachin_inc) April 8, 2019
Indianexpress.com received an official statement issued by Zee Network. It read, “As a responsible national television network, ZEE has always created content basis its stringent content guidelines. The mention of certain government schemes and initiatives in some of the episodes of the television shows was a creative call taken purely in the interest of the public.”
The matter came into the public’s notice when a Twitter user posted a clip from Bhabiji Ghar Par Hain stating, “Yesterday i realized Modi has found another venue to advertise himself. i watch “Bhabhi ji ghar par hain” (that’s right, deal with it), this TV serial has started to use some not so subtle Product placement/advertisement recently, but yesterday something else happened.”
He followed it up with another tweet mentioning, “Thursday’s episode used Swacch Bharat Abhiyan while Friday’s episode used Ujjwala Scheme to sing praises of Modi. Pay attention to keywords “humare desh ki akhandta aur ekta ko khatra na pahuche”, & “karmath, sushil, gyani, atulniya, purush” used to set the tone.”
Yesterday i realized Modi has found another venue to advertise himself. i watch “Bhabhi ji ghar par hain” (that’s right, deal with it), this TV serial has started to use some not so subtle Product placement/advertisement recently, but yesterday something else happened
…1/n pic.twitter.com/hClL6PErvF— Victim (Heath Ledger) Goberoi (@VictimGames) April 6, 2019
In the clips posted by the Twitter user, the characters from the show highlight the fact that the government has built nine crore toilets under its Swachh Bharat Abhiyaan. Tiwariji (Rohitash Gaud) also heaps praise on the PM saying, “Ek woh aadmi hai jo din bhar desh ki akhandta aur swachhta ki baat karta hai (there’s this man who talks about the country’s unity and cleanliness all day…)” The other episode that aired on April 5 had Angoori bhabhi (Subhangi Atre) telling Tiwariji that as per the Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Gas Yojana, five crore households have got LPG connection.
Another fan called out the channel for outrightly promoting PM Modi’s schemes by posting a video from an episode of Tujhse Hi Raabta. The clip had the lead actor Kalyani (Reem Sheikh) talk about the Pradhan Mantri Mudra Yojana. The character tells her grandmother (Savita Prabhune) that more than 15 crore people in the country have benefitted from the special loan, out of which 70 percent have been women.
Her grandmother happily exclaims that this unbelievable feat looked like a farfetched dream five years back. They also sing in chorus “namumkin ab hai mumkin”.
