Advocate Ajay Jagga has written to External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar, urging the Indian government to intervene and request Russia to ban a beer brand that features Mahatma Gandhi’s image. The beer, Mahatma G, brewed by Russian brewery Rewort, has caused outrage, with Jagga terming it “shocking and unacceptable.” He stressed that the use of the Father of the Nation’s image on an alcoholic drink is a serious insult to India’s values and sentiments of more than a billion Indians.
In his letter, Jagga pointed to the irony in the manner India celebrates Gandhi versus the manner in which his legacy is being employed elsewhere. “It is an irony that we put Mahatma Gandhi on our currency and have a dry day on his birthday, while in Russia, his name and image are being utilized to promote beer,” he wrote. He urged the minister to escalate the matter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and ensure that Russia understands that Gandhi’s legacy cannot be commercialized in this manner. “Gandhi Ji is not a brand for alcohol but one of the most respectable figures in history. This is an insult to India’s moral and cultural heritage,” he asserted.
Jagga’s letter also pointed out that this is not the first time Gandhi’s image has been misused in connection with alcoholic products. He recalled that in 2019, an Israeli company had placed Gandhi’s image on liquor bottles, sparking outrage in India. Following diplomatic intervention, the company issued an apology. That same year, a Czech brewery had to rebrand its “Mahatma India Pale Ale” after protests from an Indian NGO. A decade earlier, a US company had also faced backlash and ultimately apologized for using Gandhi’s image on beer cans and bottles.
The Chandigarh-based advocate argued that such instances of commercial exploitation of Gandhi’s image are deeply disrespectful and should not be allowed to continue. He appealed to the Ministry of External Affairs to raise the issue diplomatically and see to it that Russia prohibits the usage of Gandhi’s name and image on the brand of beer. “This is not just an issue of branding; it is about showing respect to the heritage of one of the most beloved icons in world history. Unless we take a stand, these kind of things will continue to happen,” he cautioned.
Jagga also called for broader legal measures to prevent such incidents in the future. He suggested that India should establish stronger international protections for the use of Gandhi’s name and image, ensuring that it cannot be exploited
As of now, there has been no official response from the Ministry of External Affairs. However, the issue is expected to gain traction as more voices from India demand action against the disrespectful use of Gandhi’s image. If past incidents are any indication, diplomatic pressure could lead to a resolution, similar to the cases involving Israeli, Czech, and American companies.