Lust for money?

The leadership of the Confederation of All India Traders (CAIT), a traders’ body, was in Surat to protest the problems traders were facing because of a “hurried” roll-out of the goods and services tax. However, the leadership did not ignore other issues of import. On Tuesday, it shot off a letter to Union Consumer Affairs Minister Ram Vilas Paswan, objecting to an “unethical advertisement of condoms by Sunny Leone”. It stated that the condom manufacturer had indulged in unethical marketing as hoardings across Gujarat “are shouting out to encourage youths” to use “condoms in the name of Navaratri festival”. The complaint stated that while the hoardings did not use the word “condom”, the “intention is very clear” given the “combination” of words such as “play”, “love” and “Navaratri” were printed over the large logo of the manufacturer. It said “in the lust of earning huge money, these brand ambassadors (Sunny Leone) can go to any level”, including to disrespect the “pious and religious occasion of Navaratri”. The CAIT has demanded the advertisement be banned.