Preity Zinta recently extended her support to Maharashtra Food and Drug Administration chief Tukaram Mundhe for his recent crackdown on establishments in Mumbai found violating food safety norms. The actor wore a T-shirt, stating “Team Tukaram Mundhe”, at a recent event, which has gone viral since. Mundhe has now responded to the actor’s show of support.

“I haven’t spoken to her personally, nor have we talked over the phone. But I am grateful that she mentioned Team Tukaram Mundhe,” he said.

“I feel that people with good intentions exist at every level and in every sector of society. A team should be formed around these good causes; good ideas, thoughts and actions should be promoted,” added the officer.

Story continues below.
Subscribe to see fewer ads.

However, Tukaram Mundhe also asserted that the intention of celebrities should not be restricted to optics, but should extend to actions as well. “Simply wearing a T-shirt with ‘Team Tukaram Mundhe’ is not enough. Merely displaying the title won’t suffice; the actual work must be done, and the right mindset must be adopted,” he told PTI.

Mundhe’s action against Bollywood celebrities

Tukaram Mundhe has taken strict action against Bollywood celebrities in the recent past, not even sparing A-list actors. Last month, the Maharashtra FDA issued show-cause notices to Shah Rukh Khan, Ajay Devgn and Tiger Shroff over their endorsement of a pan masala brand, claiming that the advertisement prima facie amounted to the “indirect or surrogate” promotion of prohibited pan masala and tobacco-related products.

The FDA directed the actors to immediately discontinue their participation in and endorsement of the pan masala advertisement and remove the promotional content from their official social media handles, websites and other digital platforms under their control. It also directed them not to provide any further cooperation or assistance in the broadcasting, publication, dissemination or promotion of the advertisement in any form.

“The responsibility is cast upon those who endorse it, including its implied meaning. It’s written down very clearly. So, if they’re endorsing something, it’s the responsibility of the endorser to ensure it complies with the FSSAI norms and regulations. And it’s written you can be fined upto Rs 10 lakh. You have to withdraw it or other actions can follow,” Tukaram Mundhe said on Prakhar Gupta’s podcast last month.

Story continues below this ad

He claimed that the FDA is not “targeting” Shah Rukh Khan, Ajay Devgn, and Tiger Shroff. “It’s not like we’ve spared the manufacturer or seller. We’re already acting against them,” he argued, adding, “As per 2018 Advertising and Claims regulation, it casts equal responsibility on the advertiser or promoter. Whatever you’re promoting has to be truthful. This act hasn’t come from me. It’s a 2018 regulation in the Food sector, being implemented since 2019.”