A local court in Srinagar has summoned the organizers of the controversial Gulmarg fashion show to appear before it on April 8 following allegations of obscenity and hurting religious sentiments.
The special mobile magistrate, Faizan Nazan, has directed fashion designers Shivan Bhatiya and Narresh Kukreja, along with Elle India editor-in-chief Ainee Nizami Ahmedi, to appear in person or through a counsel. The summons was issued based on a criminal complaint filed by Awami Ittehad Party (AIP) leader Adil Nazir Khan, represented by advocate Naveed Bukhtiyar.
Bukhtiyar stated that the fashion show, held on March 7 in Gulmarg, involved “public consumption of alcohol” and “hurt the religious sentiments of the people.” The case is being pursued under Sections 296 and 299 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita and Section 50-A of the Jammu and Kashmir Excise Act, 1958.
Fashion Show Sparks Political and Religious Backlash
The event, organized to mark the 15th anniversary of the designer label Shivan & Narresh, showcased a skiwear collection. However, it quickly sparked outrage, prompting the organizers to issue an apology.
Chief Minister Omar Abdullah addressed the controversy in the Jammu and Kashmir Assembly on March 10, assuring lawmakers that a probe had been ordered. He clarified that no government officer was involved and distanced the administration from the event.
Abdullah later admitted that the hotel where the event took place belongs to his relatives but maintained that the government had no role in its organization. “Such events are not under the jurisdiction of the elected government. In principle, we have never supported such decisions,” he said.
He further stated that if any legal violations were found, appropriate action would be taken. “From what I saw, it should not have been organized at any time of the year, let alone during the month of Ramzan,” he remarked.
Kashmir’s Top Cleric Condemns the Event
Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, Kashmir’s top cleric, strongly condemned the fashion show, calling it “outrageous.” He urged the government to take strict action, stating that such events go against the Valley’s Sufi and religious culture.
Posting on X (formerly Twitter) on March 9, he wrote, “That in the holy month of Ramzan, an obscene fashion show is organized in Gulmarg is shocking. Such obscenity in the name of tourism promotion will not be tolerated in Kashmir.”
Sources By Agencies