In a move that aims to prevent 'wrong acts', a euphemism for sex crimes, by men, the general body of the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation has unanimously passed a proposal by a woman Shiv Sena corporator to ban the display of bikini-clad mannequins outside lingerie shops in the city.

The general body, which is made of 227 corporators from across parties, has demanded BMC Commissioner Sitaram Kunte frame a new policy on indecent display in public areas.

The proposal was mooted by BJP corporator from Ghatkopar, Ritu Tawade, on April 26 and passed on May 16. Once approved by the commissioner, it would allow civic officials to get shopkeepers to remove a mannequin if they think it is scantily dressed.

With Mumbai recording the second highest number of rapes in the country, Tawade said the display of inadequately clothed mannequins was indecent and could lead to "wrong acts" by men.

"Especially two-piece clothes which barely cover the body have led to pollution of minds in today's generation. Such a display affects the mindset of men. One must think of the awkwardness a woman will feel standing in front of such a mannequin," said Tawade.

The proposal to ban such mannequins has not come out of the blue, said Tawade, a 39-year-old commerce graduate.

Provisions of the Indecent Representation of Women (Prohibition) Act, 1986, say "indecent representation of women means the depiction in any manner of the figure of a woman; her form or body or any part thereof in such way as to have the effect of being indecent, or derogatory to, or denigrating women, or is likely to deprave, corrupt or injure the public morality or morals", she said.

Tawade has already forced some shops in her ward to stop the display of such mannequins.

Mumbai Mayor and Shiv Sena corporator Sunil Prabhu backed her. "I have always supported women corporators in their initiatives and I agree with her that such scantily clad mannequins do invite unwanted attention of men and the resulting surge of sex crimes," said Prabhu.

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