Shiv Sena has asked the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) administration in Maharashtra to remove all ‘illegal’ mannequins from shops. This comes after Shiv Sena corporator Sheetal Mhatre found the display of lingerie mannequins hanging from trees ‘upsetting’.
Speaking to ANI, Mhatre argued that there is no need for advertising lingerie, as the women already know where to buy it from.
Shiv Sena’s demand met with massive backlash on Twitter as people wondered aloud what makes a mannequin “illegal”
The Main Question Is...
The move was looked down upon by a lot of activists.
“Display of lingerie in the shops is done purely for promotional and commercial considerations. The intention is not to promote eroticism.” said activist Abha Singh, as quoted by India Today.
Shiv Sena’s Argument
“We have no issues with mannequins placed inside the shops legally. But if there is display on trees or on the walls or some one carries them out on the streets then that is illegal. We have demanded action against those who indulge in such acts. At first, a warning would be served and if they don’t heed then strict action will be taken in the form of cancellation of licence,” Sheetal Mhatre said.
In 2013, Shiv Sena’s Ritu Tawde and others had made a demand for the removal of mannequins at lingerie shops in the city. Then too, the administration had informed them that there is no such provision in the Mumbai Municipal Corporation Act.
Social media users, however, argue that with the city facing other major infustrature issues, should the legality of lingerie mannequins even be an issue?
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