Engaging Priyanka Chopra as brand ambassador has not helped Assam tourism: Congress leader

GUWAHATI: With Congress seeking removal of Bollywood actress, Priyanka Chopra as the brand ambassador of Assam tourism, tourism minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said that engaging Priyanka as brand ambassador will boost the tourist inflow to Assam.

Congress legislators including Nandita Das and Rupjyoti Kurmi recently raised objection during the ongoing session of the Assam legislative assembly to a photograph of the Bollywood star in ‘minimal cloths’ as featured in a calendar of Assam Tourism Development Corporation (ATDC) and demanded that she be removed as the brand ambassador of the Assam tourism.


Sarma said that some Congress legislators are vying cheap publicity out of the issue.

“When we receive felicitation in some stage do we go wearing Dhoti, the traditional dress of Assam or wearing pants and shirts? If someone comes to Assam from abroad he will he be felicitated after wearing dhoti?,”.

Congress leader and Assam’s Leader of Opposition Debabrata Saikia added that it would have been better if brand ambassador wore traditional Assamese dress.

He said it would be prudent if government concrete on improving tourist infrastructure.

Saikia said that appointment of Chopra as brand ambassador had failed to increase the tourist inflow to the state—be it domestic or foreign.

He added, “The data placed in the House revealed that while 28,419 foreign tourists visited the state during 2016-16, only 9,421 foreign tourists had visited the state in the current fiscal (till October 2018).”

Priyanka was engaged as brand ambassador last year.