Jaipur, June 5 (IANS): In a unique initiative to promote state tourism, Rajasthan Tourism Minister Vishvendra Singh Bharatpur started a Twitter hashtag #SafaWithTwitter to encourage others to share their 'Safa Experience' on social media. Many state ministers and Congress MLAs have responded to the trend and jumped on the bandwagon.
Talking about the campaign, the Tourism Minister said that history shows that the 'Safa' (turban) has played an important role in preserving the heritage and honour of Rajasthan. Even today, its tradition has been kept intact as part and parcel of the dress code. The campaign is a unique initiative to not only promote the tourism of Rajasthan but also a pledge to preserve the state's heritage through its people for times to come.
The trend began with the Tourism Minister sharing a photo of himself wearing a colourful 'Safa'. Soon, the campaign received an overwhelming response, cutting across party lines, with Rajasamand MP Diya Kumari, BJP State President Dr. Satish Poonia and BJP leader Abhimanyu Singh Rajvi, grandson of former Vice President of India, Bhairon Singh Shekhawat, joining the campaign.
Following in their footsteps, Rajasthan Deputy Chief Minister Sachin Pilot, Minister for Transport and Soldiers Welfare Department Pratap Singh Khachariyawas, Minister for Sports and Youth Affairs Ashok Chandna, Minister for Mining and GauPalan Pramod Jain Bhaya, Minister for Higher Education (Independent Charge) Bhanwar Singh Bhati, among others also shared their photos of donning a 'Safa'.
Apart from politicians, Rajasthani folk singer Rajnigandha Shekhawat, Indian film director Vivek Agnihotri, author Anuradha Goyal as well as several civil servants, bloggers, journalists, anchors and the general public have also joined the campaign with the numbers growing each day.