‘Where is the debate over the men?’: Gaurav Gogoi after GIVA pulls Kriti Sanon’s Raksha Bandhan ad

Congress MP Gaurav Gogoi on Wednesday, August 26, questioned the focus on actor Kriti Sanon amid the controversy over a Raksha Bandhan advertisement by jewellery brand GIVA, asking why the men involved in approving and creating the commercial were not being scrutinised.

“The public debate over a television commercial is concentrated on the woman who was featured. Where is the debate over the men whose decisions led to the final release of the ad?” Gogoi said in a post on X.

He questioned the role of the men in the company’s boardroom who approved the advertisement and those in the creative agency who conceptualised and shot it.

“#SmashThePatriarchy will also need Indian men to take ownership and reset their ways of thinking,” he said.

Gogoi’s remarks came after GIVA on Wednesday withdrew its Raksha Bandhan advertisement featuring Sanon, following criticism on social media over the actor’s attire and the portrayal of the festival.

In the advertisement, Sanon was seen in an Indo-Western ensemble comprising a bralette and skirt with a cape, as she tied a Rakhi to her brother and pet dog.

The advertisement drew criticism from several social media users, with some objecting to Sanon’s clothing during a traditional festival and others questioning the depiction of her tying a Rakhi to a dog.

BJP MP Kangana Ranaut also criticised the advertisement, describing Sanon’s outfit as “intentionally creepy” and questioning the choice of attire for a Raksha Bandhan advertisement.

Sanon later responded to the criticism, saying that culture and traditions were reflected in one’s values and emotions rather than clothing.

“Culture & Traditions are in her heart, not in her neckline!” Sanon said, while questioning why women continued to be told what to wear.

She also defended the depiction of her dog in the advertisement, saying Raksha Bandhan represented a bond of protection and that the sentiment and prayers associated with the festival extended to pets because they are family.

GIVA, in a statement posted on social media, said it had withdrawn the advertisement from all media, adding that it did not intend to hurt the sentiments of any section of society.

The company said it had “the highest regard and deep respect” for Indian culture, traditions and festivals and that its intention was to celebrate the occasion with families and pets.

The advertisement was withdrawn a day after the controversy intensified on social media.