Gujarat Poll Watch 2022 Series

Japan K Pathak

Gandhinagar: You switch on Gujarati news channels and stay there for some 15-20 minutes and you find an advertisement of Aam Admi Party(AAP) with the Chief Minister of Punjab present on your screen. Well, the ad is not usual 10 seconds or 30 seconds one but 50 seconds long. That’s nearly a minute yes. The ad appears in every commercial break. In Gujarat, this advertisement started around Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann’s Gujarat visit on April 4. We don’t know for how long it will continue.

Punjab is one of most indebted State in India and the percentage of GSDP debt in case of Punjab is as high as 53.3% (followed by Rajasthan – 39.8%, West Bengal 38.8%, Kerala – 38.3% and Andhra Pradesh 37.6%) and therefore such huge spending on ads is worrying.

The ad promotes anti-corruption action line Whatsapp number. As this anti-corruption number belongs to the Punjab government, it only serves those within geographical limits of Punjab State. And therefore this advertisement is not at all relevant to Gujarat! Not even remotely! And therefore it is sheer wastage of money of Punjab taxpayers.

The ad apparently serves only the purpose of ‘media relation’ of AAP party, as Mr. Aravind Kejriwal wants to expand his party to Gujarat among other states with the media’s help. And so we often see Kejriwal government’s page-full of ads in Gujarati newspapers too.

With a whopping public debt level (53.3%), it is jarring to see Punjab government advertisements on national tv channels every 5 minutes! #FiscalProfligacy #FRBM

— Prof Shamika Ravi (@ShamikaRavi) April 14, 2022

Though the anti-corruption Whatsapp number serves only for the people of Punjab, the Chief Minister Bhawant Mann keeps asking to use this number on Gujarati news channels 100s time a day. This may misguide some people here. What would happen if after the bombardment of this ad, some person in Gujarat actually use this Punjab number! What purpose would it serve? In fact this ad campaign may create confusion regarding the existing anti-corruption helpline number of the Gujarat government!

Gujarat has an anti-corruption helpline number where people can contact the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) of Gujarat Police and complain. The helpline was launched as early as in June 2013. Then Minister of State for Home Rajnibhai Patel had inaugurated it in presence of then Gujarat Police chief late Amitabh Pathak. The State government had also announced the launch of an email address as well to report corruption which was cr-acb-ahd@gujarat.gov.in.

This correspondent dialed this Gujarat ACB helpline number on Sunday morning to check whether it is alive and working! The phone call was replied in a few seconds and willing-to-help cop of ACB was on the other side of the line. It’s working. When asked whether the service is available for round the clock, the cop replied “yes”. A shorter toll-free number 1064 is also available for the same purpose. While Punjab Chief Minister propagates Whatsapp number where you converse not with human but with automated response system, Gujarat ACB has in its campaign promoted a toll-free helpline number where you can speak with a cop and get help. Gujarat ACB has executed a number of successful traps based on this system.

In crores of rupees advts by @PunjabGovtIndia CM Mann says don’t deny paying off bribes in govt offices.If someone ask for it take out yr mobile n shoot the culprit.Really?How? If shooting wt mobile exposed can lead to real shooting from gun!Better not take Mann’s offer,seriously pic.twitter.com/pFjpMPxw0p

— Sheela Bhatt शीला भट्ट (@sheela2010) April 11, 2022

AAP chief minister in Punjab, in his TV advertisement also appeals to people to send evidence of corruption. Well, well, ACB Gujarat has been doing this for a long time. In fact in July 2021 ACB Gujarat announced a WhatsApp number 909911055, through which the people can send the evidence/material regarding corruption and malpractice. But bombarding the Punjab helpline number which serves no purpose in Gujarat may create confusion between two numbers in people’s minds.

This approach, as an example is disastrous for economically stressed Punjab State and its taxpayers. People in Gujarat are very wise and can see through. The only message they might be taking while watching bombardment of this ad is that – AAP govt is using Punjab tax payers’ money for soft media relations in Gujarat. How othwerwise this ad is relevant here! DeshGujarat