Ladakh BJP MP Slams Maruti Suzuki For Shooting Video Near Lake, Police Stops Shoot

BJP's Member of Parliament in Lok Sabha from Ladakh, Jamyang Tsering Namgyal has lashed out on India's largest car maker Maruti Suzuki for allegedly shooting an advertisement in the Leh & Ladakh region. As per a recent Twitter post, Namgyal called out Maruti Suzuki on the popular social media platform for shooting an ad for the upcoming Maruti Suzuki Jimny SUV near a lakeside. The MP from the region said that the automaker has shown an irresponsible act and is destroying the fragile ecosystem for the sake of commercial gain.

"I condemn @Maruti_Corp's irresponsible advertisement act. The fragile ecosystem should not be destroyed for the sake of commercial gain. I urge the administration to halt the shooting & take legal action as necessary. Let's preserve the unique beauty of Ladakh for future gen," Namgyal wrote in a Twitter post. 

I condemn @Maruti_Corp's irresponsible advertisement act. The fragile ecosystem should not be destroyed for the sake of commercial gain. I urge the administration to halt the shooting & take legal action as necessary. Let's preserve the unique beauty of Ladakh for future gen. pic.twitter.com/2IaC4vUkcI — Jamyang Tsering Namgyal (@jtnladakh) April 10, 2023

As seen in the video, a Neon Green coloured Maruti Suzuki Jimny can be seen entering the waters of the lake, as a nearby camera unit shoots the vehicle. The use of an SUV installed with a rig with camera reveals that this act was part of an advertisement shoot in the region. The upcoming SUV is the fourth-gen model of the popular Gypsy SUV, which was known for its off-roading abilities.

The new Jimny promises the same off-roading credentials thanks to permanent Suzuki AllGrip system. A shoot in the treacherous location of Leh and Ladakh in Jammu and Kashmir can be seen as a part of their marketing campaign to promote the SUV as a capable off-roader. While Maruti Suzuki has not released a communication in this matter, a lot of Twitter users have replied to the MP's post, and most of them have shown their dissatisfaction over his tweet.

Most of the Twitter users point out at various commercial activities that take place in Ladakh, including the use of diesel vehicles and snowmobiles. "This doesn't seem to be a big deal. Compare it to the number of tents that have come up near Pangong Lake.. stop / limit those. Also limit flights and number of hotels," wrote a Twitter user. 

Others came in support of the MP and asked him to penalize the brand for not respecting the nature. "Whether it is first or not, every such attempt noticed should be protested against and registered. There is no solace in saying "Pahle Us Aadmi Ke Sign Lekar Aao......" etc. Everyone has to share a part of the joint responsibility we all have towards preserving nature Jamyang Sir," wrote a user.

Later, the police informed ANI that the shoot had been stopped after the tweet went viral. "After we received a complaint from the civil society, we immediately approached the company concerned and stopped the ad shoot," the SHO said. The matter pertains to the ad shoot by automobile giant Maruti Suzuki at Spituk Farkha, which is 10-12 kms away from Leh, the capital of the Union Territory (UT).