Himalayan News Service

Lucknow, July 21:

Using pictures of Osama bin Laden on its posters and addressing its insurance agents as terrorists to sell its policies has landed a Kanpur branch of ICICI Prudential in trouble. Five executives of the company were sent to jail yesterday on charges of sedition for exhorting their agents to sell insurance policies under the banner of ‘Mission Jehad’. Little did the

‘creative minds’ realise the implication of their slogan, which read as follows, “Dear Terrorist

(addressing the agent), Naya firman jaari hai. Dus maaro, Milton ke saath branded shirt le jao.” Translated into English that meant — “A new edict has been issued; kill 10 and along with Milton take a branded shirt free.” Banners put up for the policy promotion meeting of agents in the office said, “Be best terrorist in the group and win Reebok shoes. Jehad begins from July 20. Kill people policy; win Milton glass set on every kill boy (Osama Bin Laden)”. The campaign became public on Tuesday evening when an enthusiastic press photographer tried to sneak into the office to take pictures of the banners and posters bearing pictures of Bin Laden.

The office guard refused to let the photographer in, following which the photographer informed his other colleagues about “something fishy” in the ICICI Prudential office in the Uttar Pradesh city. Soon a number of other photographers reached the spot, followed by some political and social activists, particularly those affiliated with outfits like the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP). Late Tuesday night, these activists staged a demonstration and raised anti-ICICI slogans. That promptly attracted the attention of the police, whose intervention exposed the strategy adopted by the company to promote its policies. “We found enough reason to book the officials engaged in the exercise for sedition, which is an anti-national activity,” said police officer RK Parashar. He said, “The five ICICI Prudential officials were taken into custody Tuesday night. On Wednesday, a court ordered the executives to be sent to jail.” ICICI Prudential officials in Kanpur and Lucknow declined to comment on the issue.