MP: Police File FIR In Gwalior Over Objectionable Posters Of CM Shivraj Chouhan, PhonePe Issues Clarification

The ruling BJP had accused Congress of putting up these posters, a charge denied by the Opposition party.

Police File FIR In Gwalior Over Objectionable Posters Of CM Shivraj Chouhan

Source : Getty Images

New Delhi: Madhya Pradesh Police on Wednesday filed a case against unidentified persons in connection with objectionable posters featuring Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan which have emerged in Gwalior, an official said.

Superintendent of Police (SP) Rajesh Singh Chandel stated that a case has been registered under the relevant Indian Penal Code (IPC) sections at the Padao police station following a complaint regarding the objectionable posters of the chief minister. The accused in the FIR (first information report) have not been identified and further investigation was underway, he added.

The posters featuring a QR code and a picture of Chouhan with the message “50% Lao, Kam Karao” (bring 50 per cent and get the work done) along with the name of a leading online payment app, PhonePe, have come up in several cities of Madhya Pradesh, including Gwalior, in the last few days.

The digital payment and financial service company issued a clarification after it was put in a spot.

In a statement, PhonePe said, "PhonePe objects to the unauthorized usage of its brand logo, by any third party, be it political or non-political. We are not associated with any political campaign or party."

It added, "The PhonePe logo is a registered trademark of our company and any unauthorized use of PhonePe’s intellectual property rights will invite legal action. We humbly request  @INCMP  to remove the posters and banners featuring our brand logo and colour🙏."

The PhonePe logo is a registered trademark of our company and any unauthorized use of PhonePe’s intellectual property rights will invite legal action. We humbly request @INCMP to remove the posters and banners featuring our brand logo and colour 🙏.

— PhonePe (@PhonePe) June 26, 2023

The ruling BJP had accused Congress of putting up these posters, a charge denied by the Opposition party.

The Congress party asserted that the campaign was a reaction of common people after the BJP started a "poster war" leading up to the upcoming Assembly polls, scheduled by the end of the year. Previously, objectionable posters featuring Madhya Pradesh Congress President Kamal Nath had surfaced in the state capital, Bhopal.