Gutkha Controversy Takes A New Turn As IAS Officer Shares Stained Pic Of Howrah Bridge Pillar

Kolkata: The controversy over a tobacco advertisement featuring Bollywood superstars took a new turn on Friday.

Awanish Sharan, an IAS officer took, to Twitter to share a picture of a gutkha-stained pillar of the iconic Howrah Bridge and wrote, “Kolkata Port Trust has said saliva laced with gutkha is corroding the iconic 70-year-old bridge. The Howrah Bridge is under attack from gutkha-chewers,” tagging Shah Rukh Khan, Amitabh Bachchan, Ajay Devgn and Akshay Kumar.

Akshay Kumar on Thursday issued a public apology for joining Shah Rukh and Devgn in an elaichi ad for pan masala brand Vimal, and promised to be “extremely mindful” in making choices in the future.

Devgn defended his ‘personal choice’ of featuring in a tobacco brand’s elaichi product ad, while Shah Rukh is yet to react.

Sale of gutkha or pan masala is banned in West Bengal, reported IANS.

“As per regulation 2.3.4 of the Food Safety and Standards (Prohibition and Restrictions on Sales) Regulations 2011 made by the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India, in the exercise of powers conferred by clause (i) of sub-section (2) of section 92 of the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006 (Central Act 34 of 2006) read with section 26 thereof, prohibits sale of articles of food in which tobacco and/or nicotine are used as ingredients, as they may be injurious to health,” states a notification dated October 26, 2021, issued by Commissioner of Food Safety, West Bengal, Tapan K Rudra.