Duped by a Weight-Loss Ad? So Was VP Venkaiah Naidu

Naidu shared his experience in the Rajya Sabha during a discussion on food adulteration and misleading ads.

“The incident happened a few days after I became the Vice President,” Venkaiah Naidu told Rajya Sabha.

(Photo: PTI)

Weight loss is hard and advertisements are deceptive. All of us have been there, fallen prey to the illusion of perfect abs projected in fake ads.

And just like us common folks, even Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu was once duped by a weight-loss pill ad and he shared his experience during the ongoing Winter Session in Rajya Sabha on Friday.

During a discussion on the issue of food adulteration and misleading advertisements raised by Samajwadi Party (SP) leader Naresh Aggarwal, Rajya Sabha Vice Chairman Naidu narrated how he was duped by an advertisement and ended up losing around Rs 1,000.

Naidu told the Upper House that just few days after becoming the Vice-President he came across an advertisement for pills which promised weight loss in 28 days, for which he paid Rs 1,280.

I paid the money. I got the delivery, but when I opened the package there was a note which said pay Rs 1,000 more for ‘original medicine’

Venkaiah Naidu in Rajya Sabha

The House erupted in light giggles. Naidu added that this is a serious issue and he did not let it go easily by taking it up with the Consumer Affairs Ministry.

I sent a letter to Ram Vilas Paswan and after an enquiry they found out that the advertisement was being hosted through the US.

“Something should be done to deal with the menace of such advertisements,” he added.

Consumer Affairs and Food Minister Ram Vilas Paswan replied to Naidu and Aggarwal, saying the ministry has worked on a new legislation to take action against such advertisements and companies.

Paswan added that the Consumer Protection Bill, 2017, which was cleared by the Cabinet on 20 December, will replace the archaic Consumer Protection Act, 1986, and enforce new consumer laws.