Harayana minister upset with Parineeti being appointed BBBP campaign

According to Health Minister Anil Vij, Pari was named at the brand ambassador of the campaign without his knowledge. Read on to know more!

A day after Bollywood actress Parineeti Chopra was announced as the brand ambassador for "Beti Bachao-Beti Padhao" campaign by the Haryana government, state Health Minister Anil Vij on Friday expressed ignorance on the subject.In comments that may cause embarrassment to the ruling BJP state government, Vij said that he was not informed about the decision by Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar.

"I do not have any information of anybody appointed brand ambassador of my department for Beti Bachao programme," Vij tweeted after the 26-year-old actress hailing from Ambala was named as the brand ambassador of the programme to promote the cause of girl child.

"Beti Bachao-Beti Padhao" campaign, aimed at ensuring survival, protection and empowerment of the girl child, was launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi from Panipat in the state in January this year, an event in which Bollywood star Madhuri Dixit had also been present.

Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar had tweeted last night, "We welcome Parineeti Chopra as the brand ambassador for the Beti Bachao - Beti Padhao programme, to promote the cause of the girl child." Following it up with another tweet, Khattar said, "An all-day, "call to action" event will be held in Gurgaon on July 21 to give the campaign a boost."

Khattar also clicked a selfie with a group of girls today as they thanked him for the launch of the campaign.

Meanwhile, a spokesman of Women and Child Development Department, said that Khattar would inaugurate the programme at Gurgaon in the presence of US ambassador to India, Richard Verma. Chopra, who would also be present at the Gurgaon event, would undertake different activities to promote survival and education of girl child, he said.

Meanwhile, this is not for the first time that Vij has taken a veiled dig at Khattar. In one of his tweets earlier this year, Vij had stated, "Thank You Chief Minister For Taking Keen Interest Into My Departments. I am Relaxed".

Vij was apparently upset with Khattar, who had in recent times launched many programmes and schemes pertaining to the departments handled by the former.

Vij, a five-time MLA and a popular face of the party in the state, was front runner for the chief minister"s post after BJP came to power in Haryana on its own for the first time, after last year"s assembly polls.

However, the saffron party chose Khattar, a first-time legislator from Karnal constituency and former RSS ideologue. From time to time, BJP, however, has sought to play down Vij"s jibes on Twitter, with senior BJP leader and party"s in-charge for Haryana affairs, Anil Jain, earlier asserting that there were "no differences" between Vij and Khattar.