The Information and Broadcasting Ministry on Saturday requested Twitter and YouTube to take away from their social media platforms the movies of commercial of a fragrance model that triggered outrage for “promoting gang rape culture”.

In letters to Twitter and YouTube, the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting stated that the movies have been “detrimental to the portrayal of women in the interest of decency and morality” and in violation of Information Technology (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code).

The movies of the fragrance model Layer Shot sparked outrage amongst a big part of social media customers, who claimed the commercial sought to advertise sexual violence in opposition to girls.

“It has come to the notice of the Ministry of Information & Broadcasting that an inappropriate and derogatory advertisement of a deodorant is circulating on social media. The Ministry has asked Twitter and YouTube to immediately pull down all instances of this advertisement,” an official spokesperson stated.

The ministry, within the letters to Twitter and YouTube, stated that the Advertising Standards Council of India (ASCI) too has discovered the movies in violation of its pointers and requested the advertiser to droop the commercial on a right away foundation. “Fuming at cringe worthy ads of the perfume ‘Shot’. They show toxic masculinity in its worst form and clearly promote gang rape culture!The company owners must be held accountable. Have issued notice to Delhi Police and written letter to I&B Minister seeking FIR and strong action,” Swati Maliwal, Chairperson on the Delhi Commission for Women stated.

Responding to the outrage sparked by the commercial, the ASCI stated on Twitter: “The ad is in serious breach of the ASCI Code and is against public interest. We have taken immediate action and notified the advertiser to suspend the ad, pending investigation.” Actors Farhan Akhtar, Richa Chadha and Swara Bhasker criticised the fragrance model for selling “gang rape culture” with its newest ads.

Taking to Twitter, Akhtar stated the individuals behind the “tasteless” ads must be ashamed.

“What incredibly tasteless and twisted minds it must take to think up, approve and create these stinking body spray ‘gang rape’ innuendo ads!! Shameful,” the actor wrote.

Chadha stated each the model and the company that got here up with the ads must be “sued for the filth they’re serving”.

“This ad is not an accident. To make an ad, a brand goes through several layers of decision making. Creatives, script, agency, client, casting… does every everyone think rape is a joke? Revelatory!” she tweeted.

Referring to the Hyderabad gang-rape case, Bhasker stated she discovered the advertisements “beyond disgusting”.

“A teenage girl was gang raped in Hyderabad-such incidents happen daily in India.. companies like @layerr_shot choose to make TV adverts joking abt & ‘cool-ifying’ rape & gangrape. Beyond disgusting! Not just tone deaf, also criminal! Absolutely shameful! What agency created it?” she posted.

Singer Sona Mohatra additionally criticised the advertisements and wrote, “Theme – Gang-rape. Gagging after I saw it here on my twitter timeline & wondering if giving them additional publicity is worse.” Reacting to the advertisements, Rishita, who described herself as a social media influencer, wrote on Twitter, “How does this kind of ads get approved, sick and outright disgusting. Is @layerr_shot full of perverts? Second ad with such disgusting content from Shot.”