Dimapur, June 28 (EMN): The Nagaland Designers’ Association (NDA) has issued a statement about a person claiming trademark rights over ‘Nagaland Fashion Week.’ The NDA issued a press release to the local media on Wednesday.
“It has come to notice of the association that a certain person by the name Harshit Dhingaun has been sending unauthorised letters to the media houses in Nagaland stating that the Nagaland Designers’ Association is inappropriately using his trademark ‘Nagaland Fashion Week’ and that it is a case of infringement and is not legal,” the press release from the association stated.
In this regard, the association stated that the Nagaland Designers’ Association was a government registered body under the Home department from 2012. The statement “the association shall have the legal command/rights over organizing ‘Nagaland Fashion Week’ in the state as the apex body’ is clearly mentioned in the Article XVII Clause (1) of the Constitution, the association stated.
“So Harshit cannot hijack the word and claim it to be his, when our Constitution is recognised by the Nagaland government. His act is an insult to the governments’ recognition.”
The association declared that he had been “seen circulating many unprofessional statements in social medias provoking arguments and confusions among the Naga people. He also stated that any shows that don’t have a trademark is not genuine and fake which is an act of defamation to all the big events, shows that happens in Nagaland.”
Moreover, the association stated in the press release, “Him claiming that he owns the trademark is questionable and not genuine because he applied for registration in the trademark office only on 17th of March, 2017, while the Nagaland Designers’ Association has given out advertisement of Nagaland Fashion Week on 5th of March, 2017.”
The association listed also what it called some encounters with him over the phone and social media:
On March 5, 2017, ‘the day our first NFW advertisement was given, he called one of the NDA officials on pretext that he’ll send participants from Delhi and extracted all the necessary information from her. He even enquired if the association is organizing the first edition and when he found out that it is the 1st edition, he took advantage and pounced on the name of the show.’
Again, on the 7th of March, 2017, “he posted in the social media, that Delhi Fashion Club is organizing Nagaland Fashion Week in Delhi and preview in Nagaland. He even went on to the extent that, nobody can use the name ‘Nagaland Fashion Week’ as it is already owned by him which is baseless because the papers found in the trademark office shows that he only applied for registration under ‘Single Firm’ on 17th of March, 2017.”
Therefore, the association declared, “this is purely hijack, as we already made him known about our Constitution. We also suggested him to use other nomenclature other than Nagaland Fashion Week if he really wants to promote the Nagas. But he paid no heed to our suggestions and continued to disrupt our event in every possible way.”
Further, the association stated to have come to know that “he has been making contacts with people who were directly or indirectly involved in our show with the intention to lure them away.” He is even instigating the students’ body in Delhi which is disgraceful, the designers stated.
“He is not only trying to hijack the name but we also learnt from a reliable source that he will do away with the Association very soon, stating that it won’t take him long to destroy NDA. This proves that, he’s trying to remove NDA which is standing in his way of getting benefit.”
According to the press release, he even sent a press release which was published in the Eastern Mirror on June 23 2017, refuting the Nagaland Fashion Week of the NDA.
“This shows his intention of disrupting our recently concluded show and in counter to his press release, we would like to mention that, competition was held in order to select the best of the best, so as to boost their confidence and represent Nagaland in the international platform, besides encouraging others also to perform their best.”
The Nagaland Fashion Week concluded successfully with a promise to bring a better and bigger version next year, the statement stated. “The winner was given platform not only in the North-east but is given international platform at Hongkong Fashion Week.”
If any Naga or group based in Nagaland register for Delhi Fashion Week trademark, without the consent of any association / group based in Delhi, and claim that we have the sole right over Delhi Fashion Week, “will the Delhi people accept and support us?” the press release queried.
“Nagas also should know his intentions which is purely for his benefit. If we have to ponder over it, why should we let an outsider take the name of NFW, when we, our own Naga people are using it.There were some Nagas (names not mentioned) who were working alongside him, but after finding out his real motive, they parted ways saying that, we Nagas are capable of doing our own things. But he is still trying to lure Naga prominent figures on board so that he can use them as his shield.”
The association of designers has stated that their objective is to promote Naga designers and allied fields professionals such as choreographers, photographers, models, hair and make-up artist, etc.
“When we are trying on our part to encourage on self employment, knowing that there’s scarcity of jobs in all government sectors, we also urge the youth to pursue such profession for sustainability instead of searching for government jobs,” the designers stated.
“Such kind of jobs not only promotes Nagaland but will also help in the economic growth of the state. Hence we also call upon the public and the government of Nagaland to support us in this venture.”
