Ullal: Pregnant woman’s picture used without consent on banner sparks controversy

Ullal: A banner with a picture of a pregnant woman for promoting the taluk level monthly nutrition programme sparked controversy in Mangaluru.

On the morning of Wednesday, September 28, a banner promoting the public baby shower programme under the Child Development and Nutrition Initiative organized by the Zilla Panchayat and Women and Child Welfare Department was put up at Sri Narayana Guru Hall of Kolya. The banner included a picture of a pregnant woman at the top left corner. The banner also carried legislator U T Khader’s image, who is supposed to inaugurate the programme.

Sources said that the pregnant woman on the flex was a relative of a Hindu activist in the Ullal locality. It is alleged that the picture of the woman was used without her consent.

Irked by this, the woman’s relatives protested against the organizers as well as Khader. The protesters took the organizers to task and urged them to immediately remove the banner.

Later, the banner was removed.

Meanwhile, district president of BJP Mahila Morcha Dhanalakshmi Gatti said, “Navaratri is an auspicious occasion for Hindus. The timing of the programme planned by concerned officials is not right. Moreover using a pregnant woman’s photograph without her consent is unethical and equivalent to crime”.