'Is this even legal?': Why is Narendra Modi in a Reliance Jio ad, ask Twitter users

[VivasvatManu]

Well we are celebrating our bandh...... you wont even get a glass of water in cochin today

So are you "celebrating" your bandh without water ?

 

[nair]

So are you "celebrating" your bandh without water ?

Water ka indezaam hogaya..... got delayed though....... Now that it is 4 pm.... We will wait till 7 to start the "Water" consumption

 

[VivasvatManu]

Water ka indezaam hogaya..... got delayed though....... Now that it is 4 pm.... We will wait till 7 to start the "Water" consumption

So shops will open by 7 PM ?

 

[nair]

So shops will open by 7 PM ?

Nope....shops will remain closed till tomorrow morning........

 

[Soumitra]

This morning saw full page ads by Reliance where they dedicated their Jio 4G offering to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Digital India dream. Full page ads were expected today as RIL chairman Mukesh Ambani had announced the launch of Jio digital services – an ambitious project by Reliance that they have been talking about for some years now – in an annual general meeting of the company yesterday, but the photo of Prime Minister raised curiosity and some eyebrows.

Quite unexpectedly, it was Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, who was among the first one to raise the issue. He got a chance to attack both Modi and Ambani, and he sent a series of tweets and retweets attacking them:

This was soon picked up by AAP followers and supporters, which included people working as journalists, who expressed outrage that the Prime Minister was “endorsing” product of a private company.

Questions were raised if the Prime Minister Modi had given permission to use his photograph in an ad by a private company. If yes, why was a private company favoured? If not, was it an unauthorized use of PM’s photo by a private company?

OpIndia.com got in touch with the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) to get a reaction, but the authorities refused to give an official statement claiming the issue was a contrived controversy created by some people it did not merit an official response.

However, PMO officials confirmed that there was no question of Prime Minister endorsing a particular private company’s products or offering. “It is ridiculous to even think that,” an official said, who didn’t want to be quoted.

“Digital India, Swachch Bharat, Startup India, etc. all are pet dreams of the PM, and all government or private parties are welcome to take the message forward without misleading anyone,” the official added.

So it was a case of someone riding on popularity of another person to push one’s own brand. The same was earlier argued by many others on Twitter too, who tried to reason with the group claiming ‘PM endorses Reliance’ theory.

But is it legal? Can any action be taken against Reliance for using photograph of Prime Minister in a private ad? Experts believe that Reliance would be safe from any legal action as their deeds may not be in contravention of any copyright laws or advertising guidelines.

“If you see clearly, the ad is not talking about the product or plan but it says it is a dedication to Prime Minister’s dream. There is no claim of PM endorsing the product. They haven’t even used the Digital India logo in the ad,” Ajita Patki, a Pune based lawyer specializing in Intellectual Property Rights said.

“It is similar to some health drink brand putting up huge poster of an Olympic medal winner congratulating them or dedicating their product to them. If you remember, many companies had used Sachin Tendulkar’s image under garb of giving him a farewell when he announced retirement from test cricket. Tendulkar was not brand ambassador of each of those companies, and I don’t think Tendulkar sued anyone for ‘unauthorized’ use of his image,” she explained.

So it appears that Reliance is practically safe in the latest case. And it’s good news for them given that only a couple of weeks back the government of India had slappedadditional penalty of Rs. 2500 crore on them.

 

[punit]

Well we are celebrating our bandh...... you wont even get a glass of water in cochin today

workers paradise !! sadly in kolkata didi has promised "Pichhoy Baansh " for Bundh Supporters !! @Rain Man

 

[nair]

“It is similar to some health drink brand putting up huge poster of an Olympic medal winner congratulating them or dedicating their product to them. If you remember, many companies had used Sachin Tendulkar’s image under garb of giving him a farewell when he announced retirement from test cricket. Tendulkar was not brand ambassador of each of those companies, and I don’t think Tendulkar sued anyone for ‘unauthorized’ use of his image,” she explained.

That was a weak argument by the way......... So what now you will compare sports persons with an elected Prime Minister of the nation???? Tomorrow some other brand/product (which may not be as exiting as jio) uses same tactic, the response would be the same????

 

[dray]

workers paradise !! sadly in kolkata didi has promised "Pichhoy Baansh " for Bundh Supporters !! @Rain Man

I doubt, Didi says something and does something. Yesterday evening I was returning from South City Mall after grocery shopping from Spencer's, I normally just drop the merchandise for home delivery, but yesterday they didn't accept home delivery because of the bandh. So I took a taxi with all the bags, just when driver was starting, 4-5 men came and threatened the driver: "Don't bring your taxi on road tomorrow; Didi will give you her one eye and a leg, and you bring out taxi tomorrow, we will cut your one leg and an eye".....very fair deal.

 

[VivasvatManu]

That was a weak argument by the way......... So what now you will compare sports persons with an elected Prime Minister of the nation???? Tomorrow some other brand/product (which may not be as exiting as jio) uses same tactic, the response would be the same????

Images of ANY Public figures can be used for Stealth Advertising.

Its truly vile to hold Modi responsible for people using is public pictures.

In any case when the PM of the nation cannot be stopped from holding Political Rallies then how can one make the argument that his picture cannot be used for other instances that can give him a more favourable political milage ?

 

[jaunty]

I don't know if it is illegal but it is highly unethical of a sitting PM to let his image be used in such a way. But Ambani, Adani etc have invested a lot of capital on Modi. For example the guy clocked up thousands on miles on their private jets during his campaign, so some amount of quid pro quo is expected.

 

[nair]

No one is holding Modi responsible

Images of ANY Public figures can be used for Stealth Advertising.

Its truly vile to hold Modi responsible for people using is public pictures.

In any case when the PM of the nation cannot be stopped from holding Political Rallies then how can one make the argument that his picture cannot be used for other instances that can give him a more favourable political milage ?

 

[VivasvatManu]

I don't know if it is illegal but it is highly unethical of a sitting PM to let his image be used in such a way. But Ambani, Adani etc have invested a lot of capital on Modi. For example the guy clocked up thousands on miles on their private jets during his campaign, so some amount of quid pro quo is expected.

By that same logic, Its unethical for a sitting PM to hold rallies for his political party.

After all he is the PM for ALL of India and not only for that political party.

Reliance jio's competitor is also free to use the PM's image tastefully too. It would be unethical ONLY if the PM refused to allow his picture to be used by Reliance's rival. Since that is not the case, where is the question of unethical behaviour ?

Also All flights used for electioneering will be paid for by the party and Audited by the EC. Its a party activity and not a pleasure cruise so no quid pro quo is expected. It is similar to the shirt the PM wears, the underwear he buys and the food he eats. ALL paid for and without any quid pro quo.

 

[dray]

Appearing in an ad for a private company is wrong for a serving PM.

The serving PM didn't 'appear' for any ad, did he?

 

[Pride]

Yes, it is Legal, former Reliance Industries president Urjit Patel made in to RBI Governor. So Reliance Industries Made PM Modi into their marketing tool.

Former Infosys chairman made chief of UID program by UPA which was Cabinet rank minister's role. Did you do protest?

 

[RPK]

Former Infosys chairman made chief of UID program by UPA which was Cabinet rank minister's role. Did you do protest?

yes I do, this favoritism has to end