Haryana government allegedly removed Bollywood actress Parineeti Chopra as the state brand ambassador of Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao campaign after her remarks on the recent student protests against Citizenship Amendment Act(CAA).
Chopra had condemned police action on the Delhi students protesting against CAA on Tuesday, December 27.
“If this is what’s gonna happen every time a citizen expresses their view, forget #CAB, we should pass a bill and not call our country a democracy anymore! Beating up innocent human beings for speaking their mind? BARBARIC,” she tweeted.
If this is what’s gonna happen everytime a citizen expresses their view, forget #CAB, we should pass a bill and not call our country a democracy anymore! Beating up innocent human beings for speaking their mind? BARBARIC.
— Parineeti Chopra (@ParineetiChopra) December 17, 2019
However, the Haryana government has not yet confirmed whether Chopra, who is from Haryana’s Ambala, has been removed from the post.
The Bharatiya Janata Party spokesperson Raman Malik said that brand ambassador is not a permanent assignment, The Indian Express reported
Media reports had earlier stated that Yogender Malik, Haryana CM’s Advisor on Beti Bachao-Beti Padhao campaign, had said that Chopra was no longer their brand ambassador.
“She participated in just one function in Gurgaon in July 2015 when the government had announced her nomination for the responsibility of Beti Bachao-Beti Padhao campaign brand ambassador,” the media quoted Yogender.
Meanwhile, several Congress leaders criticised the government’s action. “By removing her from her brand ambassador post, you can’t suppress her voice…How many voices will you suppress and for how long?” Congress leader Randeep Singh Surjewala tweeted on Thursday, December 19.
खट्टर साहब हरियाणा की बेटियां पढ़ी लिखी भी हैं, समझदार भी और अपने विचार व्यक्त करने का साहस रखने वाली भी।
उन्हें ब्रांड ऐम्बैसडर से हटा कर और बोखला कर आप उनकी आवाज़ नही दबा सकते।
और जजपा चुप क्यों है?
कितनों की आवाज दबाओगे और आखिर कब तक?https://t.co/Wah61i4Gue
— Randeep Singh Surjewala (@rssurjewala) December 19, 2019
“With such petty acts, BJP cannot suppress the voice of our daughters,” said Kumari Selja, Haryana Congress president and Rajya Sabha MP, in a tweet on Thursday.
बेटी बचाओ बेटी पढ़ाओ का नारा देने वाली भाजपा सरकार पर सत्ता का घमंड इस कदर चढ़ा हुआ है कि वह सच सुनने को कतई तैयार नहीं है।
ऐसी ओछी हरकतें कर भाजपा हमारी बेटियों की आवाज को दबा नहीं सकती। pic.twitter.com/BDkm7azxr6
— Kumari Selja (@kumari_selja) December 19, 2019
Early this week, actor Sushant Singh had announced that his association with TV show Savdhaan had ended after his participation in the anti-CAA protests.