Mahika Sharma, former Miss Teen Northeast and actress, has urged people to keep Priyanka Chopra out of politics after the Quantico star came in the line of fire for wearing a frock on the calendar of the Assam Tourism Development Corporation.
Members of the Congress party had slammed Priyanka for wearing 'minimal clothes' and thereby bringing a bad name to the culture of Assam. They also demanded the removal of the actress as the brand ambassador of Assam Tourism.
"The calendar was made to promote Assam internationally. It has also been sent to prominent international tour operators and dignitaries," Jayanta Malla Baruah, Chairman of Assam Tourism Development Corporation (ATDC) told a Guwahati-based weekly in defense. However, Mahika, who hails from Assam, found this argument "childish".
"This is completely politics. We cant blame PC as she is only the brand ambassador of Assam Tourism and the shoots were not planned by her nor the outfits I guess. So why to bring her name. She is pretty and beautiful who has climbed the success most of us only dream for. Here the complete fault is of the one who planned the concept and the government who approved it."
@priyankachopra in Awesome Assam's new calendar 2018. pic.twitter.com/NHUJfTOrE1
— PRIYANKA GLOBAL (@priyanka_global) February 20, 2018
Read Mahika Sharma's statement:
"I strongly agree to the issue raised by Congress MLAs Nandita Das and Rupjyoti Kurmi in the State Assembly. And I really feel sad to the words of Jayanta Malla Baruah sir. I question him so what if the calendar was made to promote Assam internationally, and if it has also been sent to prominent international tour operators and dignitaries? A girl posing in Mekhela chador would not have worked? Only frock works? I laugh at this kind of childish brain.
"Where are we going? Where our culture is going? We really need to learn and understand our responsibilities that we are only the legatee of our culture. I dont really say frock is bad and girls dont wear it. There is no shy at all wearing them even I put them on. But then why special values are given to the regional customs? Why do people on Republic day gather to see the parade in the capital? Even tourist and people from abroad visit the state and purchase Mekhela for themselves. That's all I feel and I'm putting my views and I'm using my freedom of expression.
"When questioned about who she wanted to see promoting her state Assam, Mahika said, "I would prefer someone senior and responsible like Rekhaji promoting Assam Tourism. Rekhaji's charm and style would have got lots of eyeballs to the state tourism. The way Gujarat Government brought in Big B and he did it so well.[sic]"
