After the Bihar Assembly elections concluded, Bollywood actress Neetu Chandra has been removed from the post of State Level SVEEP Icon and Brand Ambassador. Neetu Chandra, who had worked with Akshay Kumar in ‘Garam Masala’, found herself in trouble when her video surfaced on the day of vote counting.
Entertainment News: A major decision is being discussed after the Bihar Assembly elections. Bollywood actress Neetu Chandra, who was appointed as the State Level SVEEP Icon for Bihar by the Election Commission, has now been removed from her post. The reason for this was her recent TV debate, in which she was seen openly commenting on political issues. According to the Election Commission, this behavior is against the terms of her contract.
Neetu Chandra, who has appeared in the film Garam Masala with Akshay Kumar and John Abraham, was seen openly discussing political issues such as the Modi government, Nitish Kumar, the 'Double Engine Sarkar' (double-engine government), and 'Jungle Raj' (lawlessness) during a live TV debate on election day. As soon as this footage came to light, the Election Commission took immediate action and relieved her of her SVEEP Brand Ambassador post.
What were Neetu Chandra's responsibilities as a SVEEP Icon?
The Election Commission appoints various prominent individuals, including film personalities, for the SVEEP (Systematic Voters' Education and Electoral Participation) campaign to spread awareness among the public and increase voter participation. Under this role, the icons are required to agree to a condition of refraining from any political activity or commentary. They are only supposed to work on messages related to promoting voting and the democratic process.
However, Neetu Chandra's participation in a political debate on a news channel and her comments on various parties were seen as a direct violation of this undertaking. For this reason, the Commission immediately withdrew her position.
How did the controversial situation surrounding Neetu Chandra begin?
On the day of vote counting, various news channels organized special panel discussions, to which several film personalities were also invited. During one such discussion, Neetu Chandra participated in a live TV debate and began discussing Bihar's politics, governance, and the past ‘Jungle Raj’ in detail. The video of this rapidly went viral on social media, and people questioned whether it was appropriate for a SVEEP Icon to make political statements. When the matter reached the Election Commission, an investigation determined that her behavior was against the rules of illegal campaigning and neutrality.
For the Bihar elections, Prakash Jha, Chandan Roy, and Kranti Prakash were also appointed as SVEEP Icons along with Neetu. All of them were entrusted with the responsibility of raising voter awareness and explaining the importance of voting. However, the controversy was associated only with Neetu Chandra, and therefore, action was taken only against her.
Who is Neetu Chandra?
Neetu Chandra is a well-known Bollywood actress, model, and filmmaker. She made her debut in 2005 with the film ‘Garam Masala’ and later worked in films like ‘Traffic Signal’ and ‘Oye Lucky! Lucky Oye!’. Although her film career was not long, she has remained active in theater, production, and regional cinema. Neetu has also worked in South Indian films and is known for holding a black belt in martial arts.
