Gere, Shilpa urge truckers to join HIV prevention drive

New Delhi, Apr 15: Hollywood actor Richard Gere and Bollywood actors Sunny Deol and Shilpa Shetty today joined hands to put across the message of HIV prevention to thousands of truckers in the city.

At a function, held as a part of the ongoing 'Seena Taan Ke' campaign by the TCI foundation (India's largest surface transport organisation) to reduce unsafe sexual practices among the trucking community, the actors honoured the trucking community for their tremendous services.

Speaking on the occasion, actor Sunny Deol, who earned a huge popularity among the trucking community after the film 'Gadar' where he played a truck driver, exhorted the drivers and helpers to do 'whatever it takes' to make their lives safe in every way.

Emphasizing that they owed it to themselves and to others to make their lives secure and healthy, Sunny said,''many Hindi film heroes including me have played the role of a truck driver.

People see the truck driver as a selfless citizen who travels thousands of miles and takes many risks every day to ensure what they need for daily survival.'' Addressing the truckers, Shilpa Shetty said,''the transport sector has been such a loyal audience for us in the entertainment industry. We are indebted to you for the work you do. It is wonderful to come together with you in the fight against AIDS.'' Hollywood actor Richard Gere, describing truckers as the "backbone and the muscle of the Indian commerce", said,''the event highlights their contribution as well as the importance of partnerships from diverse groups, further strengthening the commitment in the fight against HIV-AIDS.'' 'Seena Taan Ke' is a national campaign aimed at instilling in truckers a sense of pride in their work, raising their self esteem and encouraging them to adopt healthy behaviour.

''Seena Taan Ke' is a movement which goes beyond AIDS because it aims to invoke a sense of pride in India's truckers and recognise their contribution to the Nation's economy,''TCIF project Director Tarun Vij said.

Long absence from home, peer pressure, high stress and difficult working conditions makes the two million trucking community prone to risk behaviour including unsafe sex practices. Past studies have shown that around two to 11 per cent of the truckers are estimated to be HIV positive and ten to 15 per cent of them have at least one sexually transmitted infection.

UNI