Are mannequins, which display lingerie, as harmless as they look? Or are they silently promoting the surge of sex crimes?If politicians in Mumbai are to be believed, it is the latter. And such is the potential "danger" posed by lingerie mannequins, the general body of 227 corporators of the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) unanimously decided it was best to ban the ladies in plastic."Lingerie mannequins promote rapes. Skimpily clad mannequins can pollute young minds. After the Delhi rape case, I felt something had to be done," explained Ritu Tawade, the BJP corporator who mooted the proposal.Though the municipal commissioner is still to approve the proposal which was passed on May 16, when asked if lingerie advertisements on TV, in newspapers and on billboards should also be banned, Tawade agreed.Dumbfounded Mumbaikars however, thought the initiative was ridiculous.

"Sex crimes are committed by people who have a twisted mentality and basically if they want to be, if you like, sexually aroused, all they have to do is switch on the net. It's all over the net. What are they talking about? It is really absurd. That is why I think 'Big Moron Corporation' is a good title for BMC," Ad Guru Alyque Padamsee said.