BJP Raises Alarm Over Surrogate Ads During Prime Time

A BJP member called for stricter regulations on surrogate advertisements of alcohol and pan masala during prime time, especially in cricket matches. He highlighted the impact of such ads on children and urged celebrities to refrain from endorsing these products, emphasizing the need for regulatory enforcement.

A member of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) urged the Rajya Sabha to implement stricter rules concerning surrogate advertisements for products like alcohol and pan masala during high-audience television programs, such as cricket matches.

Raising this issue during Zero Hour, BJP member K Laxman stressed the influence of such advertising on children and urged celebrities, including prominent cricketers, to stop endorsing products through these indirect promotion methods.

Laxman argued that the pervasive nature of these ads, featuring familiar jingles and branding, manipulates consumer perceptions, especially among impressionable young viewers, and called for stringent regulatory measures to govern the practice.

(With inputs from agencies.)