Mallya refuses to withdraw Harbhajan spoof ad

Agencies

New Delhi, 20 July 2011: A day after his company was sent a legal notice Indian cricketer by Harbhajan Singh’s legal team, United Breweries (UB) Group Chairman Vijay Mallya has made it clear the advertisement wasn’t meant to hurt the player.

 

"It was not meant to attack Harbhajan Singh personally. It was just a spoof between two brands. We have received a long-winded legal notice and our lawyers are studying it. There are several TV programmes that spoof our politicians. What will happen if all of them start sending legal notices?" said Mallya.

 

Harbhajan Singh’s legal team had sent a notice to the UB Group over over a television commercial featuring his team captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni. The commercial featuring Dhoni is a spoof on a Royal Stag advertisement featuring Harbhajan.

 

 

Harbhajan’s lawyers say the advertisement makes a mockery of Harbhajan, his family and the Sikh community, and have demanded an unconditional apology along with the advertisement being withdrawn immediately.

 

The notice has been sent by Harbhajan’s mother Avtar Kaur who alleges such commericals cause "disunity and friction" in the Indian team.