Actor Shah Rukh Khan is in trouble for smoking while watching an IPL match in South Africa.

His action has not gone down well with the anti-smoking lobby. The National Organisation for Tobacco Eradication (NOTE) was upset with the broadcasters of the match, which showed the footage of King Khan smoking during the match between Kolkata Knight Riders and the Kings XI Punjab tournament.

NOTE issued a statement that the official broadcasters should ensure that footage of smoking especially by celebrities should not be broadcast. They argued that such visuals increase the chances of youngsters picking up the habit in trying to imitate their Heroes. NOTE has requested the even organizers to make no smoking announcements at the venues during the matches.

NOTE added that it was lobbying with the South African National Council Against Smoking to bring a blanket ban on smoking in public places. NOTE’s General Secretary Shekhar Salkar said in absence of a law they had requested Shah Rukh Khan and other celebrities to quit smoking for their well-being.

NCAS, in its letter to NOTE, further said that while smoking in public places is still not banned in South Africa, there was very active in lobbying for the concept of no smoking in public places.

“If Khan does it again we will ask the management to caution him, or we will seek his removal from the stadium,” the press note states.

The NCAS has also assured that they would lobby with the chief executive officer of the Wanderers stadium Alam Kourie to enforce the ‘no smoking in enclosed areas’ law.

“We have also asked the stadium management to make no smoking announcements through the match and during drinks breaks