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Celebrities Reject Health Minister's Suggestion to Not Endorse Soft Drinks
Times of India
June 10, 2006
KOLKATA: Health minister Anbumani Ramadoss hasn't quite managed to
take away the fizz from thande ka tadka. The minister's decision to
ask celebs to stay away from soft drink endorsements has met with
a thumbs down from the glitterati.
Sreelekha Mitra - who features in a cola advertisement with Aamir
Khan - says actors endorse soft drinks only for monetary concerns.
"The health minister has a different perspective on the issue. When
celebrities promote a particular soft drink, they don't take on the
larger responsibility associated with the endorsement. It is up to
an individual whether he or she wants to take a soft drink,"she says.
"If the health minister is really concerned about children's health,
he should stop production of these drinks. If a company decides to
take off an advertisement campaign, does it mean that people will
stop taking soft drinks. Many cigarette companies do not advertise,
does it mean that sales of tobacco have stopped?"says Sourav Ganguly's
elder brother and cricketer Snehashis Ganguly.
Actor Kamalika too can't quite digest Ramadoss'bitter pill. "Advertising
is part and parcel of our profession. Merely endorsing a soft drink
doesn't imply that a celebrity is forcing the public to consume it."
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