Mahika Sharma, former 'Miss Teen Northeast' and actress who has always came forward to speak about her home state Assam asks to keep Actress Priyanka Chopra out of politics after the 'Quantico' star has come under the scanner for wearing a frock on the calendar of the Assam Tourism Development Corporation.Members of the Congress party have stated that Priyanka is seen wearing ‘minimal clothes’ and hence brought a bad name to culture of Assam and want her removed as the brand ambassador.
Boko MLA Nandita Das and another MLA Rupjyoti Kurmi were among those expressing their displ
easure.“The government should preserve the respect of the Assamese society. Frock is not an Assamese attire and the calendar pictures were not sober at all. The government should have known how to preserve the prestige of the Assamese society, instead they could have used the traditional mekhela sador. This is the reason we have protested against the calendar,” Kurmi added.
“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 supporting Priyanka.
Taking a dig on Mr. Baruah the beauty queen of Assam who earlier took stand for bringing prostitution to an end said, "This is completely politics. We cant blame PC as she is only the brand ambassador of Assam Tourism and the shoots was not planned by her nor the outfits I guess. So why to bring in 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. 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, the chairman of Assam Tourism Development Corporation. I question him even if the calendar was made to promote Assam internationally. Even if it has also been sent to prominent international tour operators and dignitaries. So what? A girl possing in Mekhela chador would not have worked? Only frock works? I laugh at this kind of childish brain. Where are we are 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 gathers to see the parade in the capital. Even the tourist and people from abroad visits 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."
Talking about her state 'Assam' Mahika said, "I'm proud to come from a state like Assam. My state is only the place were there is no history of dowry cultre. Girls here use to and still gets equal status. Both man and women earns together to run their house. People here are so innocent and emotional. Just the terrorism in the state is a problem need to be sorted else it is still a golden bird. I'm happy that slowly even my Assam is getting what it actually and really deserve."
When questioned about who she wanted to see promoting her state Assam. she shared, "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 BigB and he did it so well."