Sunny Leone's Navratri-themed condom ad stirs controversy in Gujarat

Sunny Leone has hit the headlines for a condom advertisement.

File pic

Ahmedabad: Indo-Canadian actress Sunny Leone is not new to controversies. This time she has hit the headlines for a condom advertisement that has resulted in protests in Gujarat.

The message in Gujarati on the hoarding for Manforce ad featuring the adult star-turned-Bollywood actor reads - ‘Aa Navratri a ramo, parantu premthi’ which means 'this Navratri, play but with love.

Objecting to the ad, The Confederation of All India Traders has written a letter to Minister for Consumer Affairs Ram Vilas Paswan calling it an "irresponsible and immature attempt to boost sales by putting all our cultural value system at stake".

The letter, signed by national secretary general of CAIT Praveen Khandelwal, accuses Leone of going to "any level irrespective of pious and religious occasion of Navratri" to earn money.

It further urges the minister to take immediate cognisance of this advertisement. Plus, the confederation wants a specified 'code of conduct' by the government for celebrities who act as brand ambassadors. 

They also want the ad to be banned.

On the other hand, Surat-based group Hindu Yuva Vahini also staged protest against the hoarding.

Narendra Chaudhary, a business man and group’s leader was quoted as saying by TOI, “This cannot be tolerated. Protests are necessary to deter others from trying something similar again in future."

He also said, "The insinuation on the hoardings insults the religious sentiments of Hindus."