Ace fashion and jewellery designer Sabyasachi Mukherjee invited flak for his latest Intimate Fine Jewellery collection. The collection includes necklaces, earrings, signet rings and the Royal Bengal Mangalsutra 1.2. The promotional advertisement of the Royal Bengal Mangalsutra 1.2 on social media didn't go down well with a section of people. They slammed Sabyasachi for an ad that featured a model, who posed in an intimate position, resting her head on a shirtless model.
Now, Advocate Ashutosh Dubey, the legal advisor of BJP-Maharashtra Palghar district, has sent a legal notice to Sabyasachi. In his notice, Mr Dubey said, "I say that in your promotional social media posts featuring models posing solo or in intimate positions with others. In one picture, a female model is seen wearing a black brassiere and Sabyasachi's mangalsutra as her head rests on a shirtless male model is totally outrageous to the entire Hindu community as well as Hindu Marriage."
He further lashed out at Sabyasachi and said the brand is exhibiting "mangalsutra in an obscene way". He added, "I say that as you used "semi-naked models for a Mangalsutra ad" is outrageous it's sentiments of Hindu Marriage because the term Mangalsutra is a combination of two words mangal and sutra. The word mangal means auspicious and sutra means thread - together mangalsutra means an auspicious thread uniting the souls and the groom ties the auspicious thread around the bride`s neck on the day of their holy nuptial as the significance that their relationship would be as auspicious as the thread. It symbolises that they will be mates for life until death separates them and you are exhibiting the "Mangalsutra" in an obscene way is outrageous and baseless."
In the statement, the legal advisor of BJP said the advertisement is hurting religious sentiments. "I say that in India majority of people associate mangalsutra with a religious custom, there is also a sound scientific justification behind it. Hindu culture emphasises on wearing a mangalsutra made of pure gold and it is often advised that the mangalsutra should be hidden behind the inners and your promotional advertisement features heterosexual and same-sex couples posing for pictures wearing The Royal Bengal Mangalsutra, which is a part of the designer's intimate jewellery collection. These photos also feature models dressed in intimate apparel wearing a mangalsutra is outrageous and it is hurting religious sentiments," Mr Dubey shared.
He concluded the statement by asking Sabyasachi to pull down the advertisement and issue a public apology in 15 days. "I, therefore, call upon you through this Notice that, on this holy relationship of "Hindu Marriage" by making such obscene as on "Mangalsutra" should be taken out and apologized to the public, under intimation within the period of 15 days, failing I am giving you clear instructions to publish the public statement and remove the semi-naked models for a Mangalsutra ad" or anything obscene related to holy Hindu Marriage "Mangalsutra" and apologies to public otherwise you will be fully responsible for all costs, risks, responsibilities, expenses, and consequences thereof. Please note well," he concluded.
I have issued a Legal notice to Sabyasachi Mukherjee Indian fashion designer regarding using "semi-naked models for a Mangalsutra collection advertisement as "Mangalsutra" is part of Holy Hindu Marriage.
He outraged the holy Hindu Marriage (Mangalsutra). pic.twitter.com/QPojQtiOKH
— ADV. ASHUTOSH J. DUBEY (@AdvAshutoshBJP) October 28, 2021
Sabyasachi is yet to respond to the controversy and notice.
(Source: Twitter)