- By Yashashvi Tak
- Sun, 25 Jan 2026 01:35 PM (IST)
- Source:JND
A group of young men tearing down gutka and tobacco advertisements from Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC) buses has sparked a viral sensation on social media, igniting debates across platforms. What started as a solitary act of protest has quickly turned into a trend, with people filming themselves removing posters featuring Bollywood stars and sharing the videos widely. Similar incidents have been reported from Mudhol and Hubballi.
What the Videos Show
The first clip that caught widespread attention reportedly came from Vidyanagar, where a young man was seen peeling off a gutka advertisement from a KSRTC bus. The video quickly went viral, inspiring others to replicate the act. Soon, visuals from other towns, including a recent video from Mudhol, emerged, showing the trend spreading beyond isolated cases.
Protesters specifically targeted large-scale advertisements and full-body wraps promoting pan masala and gutka brands, often featuring Bollywood celebrities. Many citizens and parents voiced their outrage, criticising the use of government-owned buses to promote products harmful to health, particularly through “surrogate advertising” aimed at misleading young people.
Karnataka Youth is on 🔥
— Tathvam-asi (@tathvamasi6) January 24, 2026
Tearing all Gutka ads from KSRTC Public busses. https://t.co/o7DOJlAAWH pic.twitter.com/gnrLD0cqAh
Public Reaction and Social Media Buzz
The viral videos have divided opinion online. While some users praised the protesters, arguing that state-run transport services should not endorse products linked to serious health risks, others debated the method of protest. Several social media users tagged senior leaders and the Chief Minister, urging the government to halt tobacco-related advertising on public buses and calling for stricter anti-tobacco measures across Karnataka.
Netizens Reaction
A user wrote, “So proud of namma karnataka,but why govt allowing this on buses.”
“A good initiative by the youth of Karnataka. A sensible action by Karnataka's youth. Pan masala should not be promoted anywhere. Its consumption with tobacco is bad for health and makes our streets and localities dirty,” another user wrote.
Targeting politics, a third user said, “politicians' biggest fear is coming true. We citizens are waking up to the duopoly of the government. it was never congress or bjp. It's congress & bjp. get them both. Elect an engineer/doctor as our prime minister and the country will prosper.”