Activists come out with ads to slam forest Act

23 Oct 2007, 0600 hrs IST,Nitin Sethi,TNN NEW DELHI: For the first time in Indian media history, a private group has launched US-style high-pitched ads on TV, lobbying against a law passed by the Parliament. A group of individuals, mostly Mumbai-based and calling themselves Vanashakti, have launched highly-polished advertisements on several TV channels, campaigning that the Forest Rights Act would destroy forests, dry up rivers and lead to disaster all around. Even political parties in the heat of elections are not known to run such pointed campaigns against specific legislations. But Vanashakti has hurled wild accusations against an Act lying in suspension as the government is dithering on it. The slick ads, just like typical animal welfare campaigns, run high on emotion. A cute Sikh kid, by the edge of a river, in new age homage to Bob Dylan's 'Subterranean Homesick Blues' video, flips placards with slogans on it — "no forests no drinking water, then why are grown-ups bent on giving away all our forests? The Forest Rights Act, stop it before it's too late"................. full news at: http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/India/Activists_come_out_with_ads_to_slam_forest_Act/articleshow/2481798.cms