Railway Minister and Finance Minister (in charge) Piyush Goyal on Thursday, January 24, posted a tweet asking people to buy plastic key chains with the Bharatiya Janata Party’s (BJP’s) logo.
The keys to opening the doors to Growth & Prosperity are here.
Flaunt it with pride to show that you stand for a New India.Shop exclusive NaMo merchandise on the NaMo App: https://t.co/oAJs482Luj pic.twitter.com/rwhhZvXI13
— Piyush Goyal Office (@PiyushGoyalOffc) January 24, 2019
The minister advertised the keys as “the keys to opening the doors to growth and prosperity”. He even gave a link of the NaMo app where the merchandise is available for sale.
What is curious, however, is that Goyal first tweeted it from his official Twitter account @PiyushGoyal. But after some amount of criticism online — he was slammed for taking undue advantage of his positions to sell merchandise — Goyal deleted the tweet and shared it again, this time from the Twitter handle that belongs to his office: @PiyushGoyalOffc.
Is it appropriate for a union minister to market his party’s merchandise while holding the office? Isn’t taking undue advantage of that position?
Are we – the common people – paying them salaries and perks for marketing their party merchandise? https://t.co/zvDJRusAPs— Ravi Nair (@t_d_h_nair) January 24, 2019
This is called collecting data of one and all who log in and download the app. Data is important to win elections esp via what’s app and emails messages. Cant say it openly so better to sell a product kyunki hum sab ullu hain 😊😊😄 #newindia 😝😜 https://t.co/Va0JlK9Sm6
— Farah Khan (@FarahKhanAli) January 24, 2019
The interim Finance minister of this country who also holds several other portfolios peddling his party’s merchandise. A job that should have been left to his party office bearers…. https://t.co/10w4OwVjbG
— Rohini Singh (@rohini_sgh) January 24, 2019
Goyal isn’t the only one trying to promote the NaMo brand. BJP MP Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore was promoting NaMo merchandise on Twitter. He even posted a photo of he, along with Lok Sabha MP Anurag Thakur, Minister of State for Heavy Industries and Public Enterprises Babul Supriyo, Piyush Goyal and Union Minister of State for Home Affairs Kiren Rijiju sporting Narendra Modi hoodies.
NaMo Again. Because leadership matters. Because India matters.
Stand up for what you know is right. Get your NaMo merchandise today from @namomerchandise.@ianuragthakur @SuPriyoBabul @PiyushGoyal @KirenRijiju pic.twitter.com/6MEekIWg3m
— Col Rajyavardhan Rathore (@Ra_THORe) January 11, 2019
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