Shiv Sena Rajya Sabha MP Priyanka Chaturvedi has called the advertisement problematic for “promoting the evil & criminal act of dowry.”

news Controversy Tuesday, September 13, 2022 - 12:57
TNM Staff

An advertisement by the Union Ministry of Road Transport and Highways promoting road safety and airbags for rear seat passengers in cars came under fire from Shiv Sena Rajya Sabha MP Priyanka Chaturvedi on Monday, September 12, for alleged promotion of dowry. In the advertisement, actor Akshay Kumar is seen admonishing the father of a bride for not caring about safety and sending her and her husband in a car with just two airbags for front seat passengers. Kumar cautions him about an accident and the advertisement moves on to the couple then travelling in a car having six airbags, including for rear seat passengers.

"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?" Shiv Sena MP Chaturvedi tweeted. Gadkari had also shared the government advertisement on his Twitter handle, he said in a tweet.  

The issue of six airbags, including for rear seat passengers, took centre stage in the car safety debate after the death of industrialist Cyrus Mistry in an accident in Maharashtra's Palghar on September 4. Among those batting for six airbags in cars is Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari. 

"The same manufacturers put six airbags when they export those cars. Then why do you put only four airbags in Indian cars? Don't our lives have any values? An airbag costs only Rs 900 and when the number increases, the cost will only come down," the minister had said recently. He has also made it clear that seat belts will be made mandatory for the occupants in the rear seat in cars. The government ad featuring Akshay Kumar is one of the three videos describing the importance of road safety released by the Minister's Twitter handle.

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