Media outlets like FirstPost, Quint have published a misleading report claming actress Parineeti Chopra's role as brand ambassador for the 'Beti Bachao Beti Padhao' campaign was cut short after she tweeted condemning the violence against the anti- Citizen Amendment Act protestors. BOOM was able to confirm that Chopra's term ended in 2017, much before the Citizenship law passed.
The Citizenship Amendment Act was passed by the Parliament on December 11, 2019 This act provides citizenship to non-Islamic immigrants from Pakistan, Afghanistan, and Bangladesh who moved to India before 2015. There have been nationwide protests against this Act which has led to violence in certain parts of the country such as Delhi, UP, Karnataka and Assam.
On December 17, Chopra tweeted condeming violence against CAA protestors saying "If this is what's gonna happen everytime a citizen expresses their view, forget #CAB, we should pass a bill and not call our country a democracy anymore! Beating up innocent human beings for speaking their mind? BARBARIC."
If this is what's gonna happen everytime a citizen expresses their view, forget #CAB, we should pass a bill and not call our country a democracy anymore! Beating up innocent human beings for speaking their mind? BARBARIC.
— Parineeti Chopra (@ParineetiChopra) December 17, 2019
Soon after the tweet, several media outlets including The Quint, Firstpost and the Print published stories claiming Chopra had been removed from her role as ambassador for Beti Bachao Beti Padhao campaign. The stories alluded to her tweet claiming 'Parineeti's removal allegedly comes after the actor tweeted against the police brutality on students of Jamia Millia Islamia and Aligarh Muslim University.'
Jagran and India times also reported that Chopra was removed from her position as brand ambassador because of her tweets. Read the archives of the stories here and here.
Also Read: Police Support For Anti-Citizenship Amendment Act Protests?
Fact Check
Wire News Agency ANI on Friday tweeted a denial by the Ministry of Women and Child Development. The spokesperson said "News of dropping Parineeti Chopra as the brand ambassador for tweeting against CAA were false, baseless, and malicious. Her MOU was for 1 year till April 2017. Which was not further renewed"
Spokesperson of Women&Child Development Dept of Haryana Govt: News of Parineeti Chopra being dropped(for tweeting against #CAA) as brand ambassador of 'Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao' is false, baseless and malicious.MOU was for 1 year,till April, 2017.Thereafter MOU was never renewed pic.twitter.com/jcRBsvrNXM
— ANI (@ANI) December 21, 2019
Chopra, who was born in Ambala, was chosen as the ambassador for the 'Beti Bachao Beti Padhao' Yojana in 2015.
Sakshi Malik, bronze Olympic medallist for wrestling, has been the brand ambassador for the yojana since 2016.
BOOM contacted Chopra and will update the story on receiving an official reply.
The Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao Yojana was launched on January 22, 2015 for improving the child sex ratio by targetting and reducing sex-selected abortions prevalent largely in the areas of Bihar, Delhi, Haryana, Punjab, Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand.
Also Read:Viral Message About Govt Scheme Offering 10K To Girl Child Is A Hoax