A Delhi court has ordered that an FIR be registered against online shopping portals Amazon India, eBay and Shopclues and their managing directors for allegedly selling an ashtray shaped like a nude woman, saying it was "outrageous" and "indecent" and could have a serious psychological impact on the young.
Metropolitan Magistrate Babru Bhan gave the direction while also observing that by allowing the sale of such a product, the portals were conveying to society that women should be treated in the manner depicted in the object.
A complaint was lodged against the portals by advocate Gaurav Gulati, who alleged that according to media reports published on the Net on June 6, 2017, the sites were "selling a nude woman figurine ash-tray which was indecent".
"The pictures annexed with the complaint would show that the ashtrays which were sold are shaped as a nude woman. (What) Effrontery, the figurine shows the woman lying with her legs spread, indicating her vagina to be the spot where the smoker is supposed to grind the cigarette after smoking. By such depiction of a woman, what message is being sent to society," the court asked.
The court said it appeared that the sellers and the portals wanted to convey to society that "women should be treated in the manner depicted in the figurine".
"In my understanding, this is the idea being spread through the disputed figurine which is outrageous for every woman and indecent for every viewer. (The) act of selling or even publishing such material cannot be permitted in any civilised society," the magistrate said.
The court observed the object was not "artistic" in any way.
"In my considered opinion, publication of such material can leave a serious psychological impact, especially on young viewers. It is not artistic from any point of view."
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