Road safety brand ambassador: Not Big B, pleads Congress

Mumbai, June 4 (IANS) The Mumbai unit of the Congress has voiced its disapproval of a Maharashtra government proposal to make megastar Amitabh Bachchan the brand ambassador of its 'Awareness on Road Safety' programme, a party leader said here Monday.

Party vice president and legislator Charan Singh Sapra has shot off a letter to Chief Minister Prithviraj Chavan opposing opposition to the proposal mooted by Minister of State for Home Satej Patil.

"As this traffic or road safety awareness is largely required among the younger generation, they are more enthused on inspired by younger icons," Sapra said in his letter.

He has suggested icons like Sachin Tendulkar, Shah Rukh Khan, Akshay Kumar, Ajay Devgn, Salman Khan, Ranbir Kapoor, Aamir Khan among others who could be considered for the honour.

Moreover, Sapra pointed out that Bachchan was already the brand ambassador for the neighbouring Bharatiya Janata Party-ruled state of Gujarat.

"We are all aware that the masses as well as the courts have not yet absolved (Gujarat Chief Minister) Narendra Modi from the riots cases," Sapra said.

Keeping in view the major point of attracting the youth to the Road Safety Awareness programme, Sapra requested Chavan to consider appointing a relatively younger youth icon for the initiative.