Tuesday, May 13, 2008

surrogate advertising

During LS2004, there was massive criticism of the NDA's India shining campaign. Chindu was particularly vitriolic in its attack and called it "the worst ever violation" of election code. In 2004, it argued that the fact that the election process has not begun cannot be used as an excuse.

To test this, we have to return to the lavish India Shining campaign on the achievements of the Bharatiya Janata Party-led National Democratic Alliance coalition, which was clearly a campaign document funded by the taxpayers' money. The Government's justification was that the election process had not begun.


the India Shining campaign was a massive election advertisement contrary to the spirit of electoral principles — the worst ever violation of this type.


Does the same yardstick apply to non-BJP parties? Sadly, NO. The UPA has been showing ads of Bharat Nirman and how "effective" its policies have been in making the rural people "happy". This campaign is no different from NDA's India shining. Why hasn't a word been said against this? Elections are currently underway in karnataka and it is all the more reason for the powers that be to object. The UPA is buying ad slots on IPL matches to "showcase" its achievements. The Chindu (and the ELM in general) have not spoken a word!

4 comments:

tat_tvam_asi said...

Readers say our soft state is responsible. Chief is afraid of what the BJP may gain.


Soft state

There is a growing impression that the Congress-led government at the Centre is soft both on Islamist and Maoist terrorism, thanks to its vote bank considerations. It is time security became the paramount concern of the government, political parties and the people of India. We should not make cross-border travel easy. Anyone connected with terrorism should face effective punishment. Terrorists should pay with their lives and their supporters should be imprisoned for life. Our soft approach is interpreted as weakness by terrorists.

Vipul Thakore,
London
http://www.hindu.com/2008/05/15/stories/2008051554751000.htm



Challenges from Jaipur

The Bharatiya Janata Party appears to be preparing the ground for a communal campaign ahead of the November round of Assembly elections by blaming the Jaipur carnage on the United Progressive Alliance government’s allegedly ‘soft approach’ towards terrorism. Such tactics might help win votes — but will not serve the cause of combating terrorism.

http://www.hindu.com/2008/05/15/stories/2008051554761000.htm

Dirt Digger said...

The Congress and CPM have earned the right to say what they want about their achievements because they are secular. How dare you compare them to the communal and imperialistic BJP and its cronies!! j/k

Dirt Digger said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Anonymous said...

These ads really,are not all that great.These are quite uninspiring.

India shining ads were at least left some positive vibes.

So,this set of ads,may turn out to be a double whammy.If India shining ads were one of the reasons NDA lost that time,these ineffective UPA ads will
not really make UPA lose :p