If you’d seen the Reliance Jio advertisements and were wondering why the PM was on them, well, the PMO is too. According to NDTV, the Parliament was told on Thursday that the PMO had given no permission to use the PM’s picture in print or electronic advertisements.
The report adds that the matter came to light after Samajwadi Party's Neeraj Shekhar’s question was answered in writing by Minister of State for Information and Broadcasting Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore who admitted that the government was aware of the matter.
"Yes sir, the government was aware," said Rathore, adding that no such permission had been granted by the PMO.
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Rathore is said to have added that Directorate of Advertising and Visual Publicity (DAVP), a media unit within the ministry is responsible for the release of advertisements related to the policies and plans of the government in various media outlets. He added though that the DAVP "releases government advertisements only and does not release advertisements of any private body".
Shekhar also wanted to know of the action that will be taken against Reliance in the matter and Rathore said that Emblems and Names (prevention of improper use) Act 1950 which is under the Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution, will take care of it.
