Politicians should not be allowed to show up in government advertisements!

Politicians should not be allowed to show up in government advertisements!


Introduction:

Indian Democracy is the largest one in the world. Election is a major popular process where people elect representatives who run the Government. It is the same representatives who seek for popularity in a way, by employing government advertisements. Recently, the Supreme Court of India has made a landmark judgement that checks “Personality Cults” of political leaders.

Yes, it’s tax payers money!

1. As rightly said by the Supreme Court, the tax payers’ money cannot be spent to build the “personality cults” of political representatives.

2. When Photographs of the political leaders or some ministers are published in some advertisements, it leads us to question the hidden motive behind it.

3. Sometimes the advertisements are so misleading that one tends to totally ignore what the advertisement is on, what the policy is, rather they just see the political leader and made to think that he/she has done something great!

4. It paves way for “personality cult” because the photos or advertisements are tended to portray Government projects as achievement of some individual. These will again be used in next election to show people the achievements of that person. This mislead the voters.

5. It leads to personal glorification and image making at public expense and as the Supreme Court said, it is a “direct antithesis of democratic functioning”.

No, ministers are those who run the system!

1. We are a federal country. When Prime Minister’s and President’s Photo can be seen in the advertisements, why can’t states Chief Ministers user their photos with Governors of their states?

2. Though “personality cult” should be discouraged, it still plays a major role in winning elections in India. In a way, it tries to build a link between representatives and the people who elected them and gives a positive message to the people who don’t get the real motive behind it.

3. The ministers play an important role in making the decisions at state or national level. If they want to get a credit of what they did, what’s the harm!

Conclusion:

Gaining space in political advertisements is thus, a major means of glorifying of self in the public. Plus, it costs more for the public. It is good that politicians lose space in Government advertisements.
Post your comment

    Discussion

  • RE: Politicians should not be allowed to show up in government advertisements! -Deepa Kaushik (07/21/15)
  • Politicians have a status and dignity of their own. Along with this, every politician carry their image in a specific sense amongst the common man. Displaying the photos of politicians in the adverts itself carries some message with respct to the common man. Even if there is no content in the advertisement, just displaying the photo of a politician speaks a lot for the masses.

    We need to be extra careful while displaying the advertisements. The message that the advertisement carries should reach the public in true essence, else all the efforts made in creating a advert goes into vain. If at all the politician's photograph is displayed on any advertisement, it should go with the flow of content and the actual message should not get altered.

    Politicians need to create an impression on the hearts of the masses through their work. a photograph is not all that is required to become popularity. Fame should follow the work and name and not the face. People should recognize the politician by his dedication and sincerity towards his workings. If at all the politician wants to be popular by his face, it should be at his own expense and not from the tax payers' money. If the politicians works as a public servant, he can reach the common man in a better way. Displaying the portrait in the advertisement is not all that required. Hence, it would be better for the politicians to avoid the display of their photographs in Government or any other advertisement.
  • RE: Politicians should not be allowed to show up in government advertisements! -vinayak (07/20/15)
  • It is always not true but in some you can say in rare case, what if an politician is honest and from not so rich background then advertisement of work he has done with his picture will surely make him to reach the society for whom he had worked.
  • RE: Politicians should not be allowed to show up in government advertisements! -Monika Kushwaha (07/20/15)
  • Yes politicians should not advertise their pomp and show to the demos.They should not make fake promises to the people so any media supporting such acts should be prohibited.Such measures will maintain decorum among the people and avoid any fury among politicians based on fake promises.