Ahmedabad

Consumer Education and Research Center (CERC),a leading consumer rights organization in India, has written a letter to Union Minister for Consumer affairs, Food and Public Distribution, Mr. Ram Vilas Paswan to take action against actor Ajay Devgan and a Pan Masala brand for which he has acted in an advertisement.

The Ahmedabad based UN recognized NGO in its letter to the minister has asked for urgent action against the Vimal Pan Masala advertisement featuring actor and youth icon star Ajay Devgan.

‘We have requested Mr. Paswan to ensure that the advt is immediately stopped on all media. We have also asked him to take action against Ajay Devgn in order to deter other celebrities from endorsing harmful products. Since the advt has been aired for nearly a year, it has already done considerable damage. Hence, we have appealed to the minister to ensure that the advertiser issues a corrective advt,’ a statement issued by the consumer rights body said.

CERC scored a significant victory in its relentless campaign against the advt when Star India decided to stop airing the TV commercial effective from 21 March 2016. The advt claims that Vimal Pan Masala has ‘Daane Daane mein Kesar ka dum’. The claim implies that the product has a significant quantity of saffron which is misleading. Also, it is likely to create a wrong impression in the minds of gullible viewers that the product is healthy. When a youth icon
endorses a product it is sure to lure the youth of the country to consume it leading to adverse health consequences. It ends with a statutory warning which states ‘Pan masala chabana swasthya ke liye haanikaarak hai’. If the product requires a health warning, why is it promoted by a celebrity like Ajay Devgn? , the statement said.

Every hour, 14 people lose their lives in India due to oral cancer, according to the Oral Cancer Foundation (OCF). Studies have revealed a direct relationship between chewing pan masala (even without tobacco) and oral submucous fibrosis (OSF), a condition that is a precursor to oral cancer. Areca nut (supari), the main ingredient of pan masala, has been classified as carcinogenic to humans by World Health Organization’s (WHO) International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), It further said.
The statement said that CERC had complained to the Advertising Standards Council of India (ASCI) about the advt. It also wrote to the actor urging him to stop endorsing the product. ASCI upheld the complaint and asked the advertiser to modify or withdraw the advt. However, the advt continued on various media, including radio, print, TV and on hoardings. So ASCI took up the matter with the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) and the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting at CERC’s instance.

Since the TVC of Vimal Pan Masala continued to be aired on Star Network Channels especially during the cricket matches of Asia Cup and ongoing T20 World Cup, which have high viewership, CERC wrote to Star India requesting the company to stop airing the advt. Also, since Star India Pvt. Ltd is a member of ASCI, it is morally bound to follow ASCI’s decision on the advt. Star India’s positive response shows it has put ethics before profits and displayed Corporate Social Responsibility, the statement said.

– DeshGujarat