Published Sep 23, 2022 | 3:38 PM ⚊ Updated Sep 23, 2022 | 8:21 PM
Actor Akhil Iyer's photograph used in Congress 40%sarkara without his consent
As an actor, Akhil Iyer would have been kicked to see himself in a poster had it been about his films, but the last place he expected to see himself was on campaign posters of a political party.
The 34-year-old Bengaluru-based South Indian actor and producer was appalled to see his photo being used on campaign posters of the Congress in Karnataka.
Iyer found his photos being used, without consent, against the BJP over allegations of the “40 percent commission” that the state government machinery is accused of soliciting from contractors.
The actor is now contemplating legal action against whoever was responsible for using his photograph without his consent, that too in a political campaign that has become controversial in Karnataka.
Iyer told South First he came to know of his photos being on Congress posters only when a journalist friend alerted him to them.
“My friend asked me on Thursday evening if I was part of the campaign. I told her I had no idea what she was talking about,” Akhil told South First, adding that his friend sent him the link to a widely circulated Karnataka Congress social media post where his photos were used.
“I started getting calls from my lawyer and other friends asking me if I was really associated with the campaign,” Iyer told South First.
Neither he nor anyone from his family — that he recalls — is a part of the Congress, or even active in politics.
“The said photograph was taken in 2011, and I had put it up on social media — my Instagram, Facebook, and Google accounts,” Iyer said.
Iyer subsequently deemed it prudent to tweet about this to all the people he knew.
I am appalled to see that my face is being used illegally and without my consent for “40% Sarkara” – an @INCIndia campaign that i have nothing to do with.
I will be taking legal action against this.@RahulGandhi @siddaramaiah @INCKarnataka request you to please look into this pic.twitter.com/y7LZ9wRXW9
— Akhil Iyer (@akhiliy) September 23, 2022
The photograph was used in the Congress campaign encouraging people to report corruption. “ARE YOU STILL NUMB? Show your emotion. Sign-Up and expose corruption [sic]” the poster reads.
The social-media campaign in which Akhil’s face was used also had this message: “The gluttony of 40% sarkara has robbed over 54,000 youths of a career. [sic]”
“I am not a part of the campaign, neither I am associated with the Congress or any party, nor do I have any political aspirations. I just don’t want to be associated with a campaign that I have got nothing to do with,” Iyer told South First.
The actor is in contact with his lawyer, who will formally file a complaint with the law enforcement authorities after going through the violations or offences against the privacy of the person, copyright infringement, and other harassment and mental agony he had to go through.
“The photograph used in the campaign is mine and it has been used without my consent which I object to,” Akhil Iyer told South First.
The official Twitter handle of the Karnataka unit of the BJP was quick to pick up the actor’s tweet and ridicule the Congress.
ಫೋಟೋ ಹಾಕುವುದರಲ್ಲೂ @INCKarnataka ಪಕ್ಷದಿಂದ ಸ್ಕ್ಯಾಮ್! pic.twitter.com/4JnxWMHzoc
— BJP Karnataka (@BJP4Karnataka) September 23, 2022
BJP spokesperson Mahesh G told South First: “The Congress’ very DNA is fake. This is not the first instance they are stooping to levels like this. Politically, they can stoop to any extent, taking advantage of democracy and not understanding value-based politics.”
He added: “The BJP is condemning the fact that the young man’s photograph was used without his consent, which interferes with his privacy and personal life.”
The allegations against the Congress, of misusing private photographs of citizens without their consent for campaign materials, come at a time the party has been successful in putting the BJP on the backfoot over corruption allegations.
