Pens and Sensibility How Mont Blanc is selling brand Gandhi at 24000 a pen

A PIL has been filed in the Kerala High Court against German penmaker Mont Blanc. The suit is being filed by Dijo Kappen, the managing trustee of the Centre for Consumer Education at Kottayam, represented by advocate Santhosh Mathew. The petitioner has asked for an order prohibiting the marketing and sales of Mont Blanc’s Mahatma Gandhi Limited Edition pens..A PIL has been filed in the Kerala High Court against German penmaker Mont Blanc, Entrack International Trading, the Indian distributor for Mont Blanc, the Union of India and the Ministry of Consumer Affairs. The suit is being filed by Dijo Kappen, the managing trustee of the Centre for Consumer Education at Kottayam, who is being represented by Santhosh Mathew of Ninan & Mathew Advocates..The petitioner has asked for an order prohibiting the marketing and sales of Mont Blanc’s newly-released commemorative pens, the Mahatma Gandhi Limited Edition-241 and Mahatma Gandhi Limited Edition-3000, on the grounds that they are a degradation of the Mahatma’s creed of simplicity, and a derogation of national honour. It is contended that the sales and marketing of the product are in violation of Section 3 of the Emblems and Names (Prevention of Improper Use) Act. The Kerala High Court Division Bench, presided by Chief Justice S.R.Bannurmath and A.K Basheer, has admitted the petition and issued notice to the respondents..Mont Blanc released the luxury limited edition pen on September 29. The Mahatma Gandhi-241 retails at Rs. 11.39 lakhs ($23,854), and commemorates the 241-kilometre Dandi salt march, while the Mahatma Gandhi Limited Edition-3000 retails at Rs. 1.47 lakhs ($3000). The release of the pen has met with widespread disapproval across the country, and protests that the Mahatma, who symbolizes simplicity and egalitarianism, would be appalled at the usage of his name to promote an elite luxury pen..Mont Blanc has stated that they have taken the requisite permission to use the Gandhiji’s name, image and signature on their pens. As a sop to their detractors, they have also pointed out that the company has donated about Rs. 72 lakhs ($150,000), to the Mahatma Gandhi Foundation, run by Mahatma Gandhi’s great-grandson, Tushar Gandhi.