Madhya Pradesh minister Narottam Mishra gave designer Sabyasachi Mukherjee a 24-hour ultimatum and threatened that not withdrawing the advertisement would lead to a case being registered against Mukherjee.
On Sunday, eminent fashion and jewellery designer Sabyasachi Mukherjee’s label was forced to withdraw the promotional campaign for its new mangalsutra collection after the home minister of Madhya Pradesh, Narottam Mishra, issued a 24-hour ultimatum and also threatened to use “police force.” According to Mishra, the ad campaign was “objectionable and obscene”.
According to Mukherjee’s Instagram story, the aim of the campaign was to make heritage and culture “a dynamic conversation”, and the Mangalsutra campaign wanted to start a conversation surrounding “inclusivity and empowerment.” They further added that the intention of the campaign was a celebration and that “we are saddened to see that it has instead offended a section of our society. So, we at Sabyasachi have decided to withdraw the campaign,”
WHAT NAROTTAM MISHRA HAD TO SAY
On Sunday, MP minister Narottam Mishra told reporters that he had given warnings earlier about advertisements like these. He gave designer Sabyasachi Mukherjee a 24-hour ultimatum and threatened that not withdrawing the advertisement would lead to a case being registered against Mukherjee. “The police force will be sent for the action,” said Mishra.
Mishra said that he saw the ace designer’s mangalsutra ad. According to him, the ad was “objectionable.”
According to the Madhya Pradesh MP, “Mangalsutra is a jewellery of paramount importance.” Mishra replied to a question about the law requirement to check such incidents by saying that the law is in place already. He questioned why such incidents take place solely with symbols of Hinduism? “If Mukherjee has courage, he should do it with some other religion, then we will understand that he is a real brave man.”
WHAT THE ADVERTISEMENT WAS ABOUT
The mangalsutra ad by Sabyasachi’s brand portrayed a woman wearing a low-neckline dress and posing in an intimate position with a man.
The designer’s Instagram page shared the promotional photos of the ad and wrote on a story, “Introducing the Royal Bengal Mangalsutra 1.2 and the Bengal Tiger Icon collection of necklaces, earrings, bracelets and signet rings in 18k gold with VVS diamonds, black onyx, opals and black enamel.” These pictures created a controversy as one section of social media users believed that it was “obscene” and “against Hindu culture”.
WHAT IS A MANGALSUTRA?
A mangalsutra, which translates to an auspicious thread, is a necklace worn by Hindu married women. It is a symbol of marriage, and the wife must wear it all her life, reflecting the love and commitment the husband and wife have towards each other. There is also a belief that the wife wears a mangalsutra to shield her husband from bad luck or danger.
BACKLASH AGAINST CERTAIN ADVERTISEMENTS
The frequency of backlash against advertisements has been increasing lately, especially on Twitter and other social media platforms in general.
Last week, Dabur India Private Limited had to withdraw its Fem cream bleach advertisement. The ad showed a same-sex couple celebrating Karva Chauth and watching each other through a sieve. Here too, Mr Mishra termed the ad objectionable and warned that he would take legal steps against it.
Dabur’s Twitter handle, in a brief statement, wrote that the Karwa Chauth campaign by Fem had been withdrawn and that “we unconditionally apologise for unintentionally hurting people’s sentiments.”
Mishra condemned Dabur as the Indian company made an ad around the idea of lesbians celebrating Karwa Chauth. He said, “In future they will show two men taking ‘feras‘ (marrying each other according to Hindu rituals).”
Previously, Indian fashion brand Fab India had to withdraw the promotional campaign for its Diwali collection for the usage of an Urdu phrase as the name of the campaign.
