Mumbai: Maharashtra’s independent MLC Satyajeet Tambe has demanded that Mumbai police take action against model-actor Poonam Pandey for putting out fake news of her death.
A case should be registered against Pandey to make an example of her for those who resort to such stunts to promote themselves, said Tambe, an independent member of the Maharashtra Legislative Council.
A day after the news of her death from cervical cancer dominated the news cycle and led to intense debate on social media, the 32-year-old Poonam Pandey announced on Saturday that she was alive, and the fake news was published to spread “critical awareness” about the disease.
Action should be taken against her as she “made or published false or misleading information,” MLC Tambe said in a statement.
“The news of an influencer/model dying of cervical cancer cannot be a means to spread awareness about the disease. The entire episode takes away the serious nature of cervical cancer and diverts the attention entirely to the influencer,” Tambe said.
The actor has pulled a prank on the cancer survivors rather than raising awareness. Another problem is how the drama was reported and picked up by news agencies without verifying facts. Media was being used to further their agenda through unfair means,” said an outraged MLC.
This comes after Poonam Pandey posted a video on her Instagram account to inform that she faked her death to raise awareness about cervical cancer.
“I feel compelled to share something significant with you all – I am here, alive. Cervical Cancer didn’t claim me, but tragically, it has claimed the lives of thousands of women who stemmed from a lack of knowledge on how to tackle this disease. Unlike some other cancers, Cervical Cancer is entirely preventable. The key lies in the HPV vaccine and early detection tests. We have the means to ensure no one loses their life to this disease,” she said.
Poonam Pandey’s actions provoked outrage among the people. Many, including actor Pooja Bhatt and filmmaker Vivek Agnihotri, have called out Poonam for her “disgraceful” stunt. Meanwhile, the All Indian Cine Workers Association has demanded that she be booked for faking her death.
