Madhya Pradesh home minister Narottam Mishra on Sunday issued a warning to designer Sabyasachi Mukherjee for his recent mangalsutra campaign that if the designer does not take down it within 24 hours, he will face legal action. This is not the first backlash from power the celebrity designer is facing for his latest creation, as a legal advisor of the BJP has already issued a legal notice for Mukherjee's Mangalsutra collection advertisement.
This comes as several advertisements in the recent past have received flak including that of Fabindia's 'Jash-e-Riwaaz', Ceat's advertisement featuring Bollywood actor Aamir Khan and Dabur's Karwa Chauth ad showing a lesbian couple.
"I have seen the (mangalsutra) advertisement. It is very objectionable. Also hurtful to religious sentiments. The yellow part of a mangalsutra stands for Parvati, while the black part represents Shiv. A mangalsutra stands for conjugal happiness. I have already raised objections before. Now I am warning designer Sabyasachi Mukherjee personally and giving him an ultimatum of 24 hours," the Madhya Pradesh minister said, issuing a video message.
The legal notice sent by BJP-Maharashtra Palghar unit legal advisor Ashutosh Dubey said using semi-naked models for mangalsutra advertisement is obscene and outrageous.
A few days ago, the designer launched his 'Intimate Fine Jewellery' collection, which invited criticism as social media users asked the designer whether the ad is for innerwear or mangalsutra. "Introducing the Royal Bengal Mangalsutra 1.2 and the Bengal Tiger Icon collection of necklaces, earrings and signet rings in 18k gold with VVS diamonds, black onyx and black enamel," the description of Sabyasachi's version of mangalsutra read.
"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," the legal notice sent to the designer by BJP legal advisor said.