KVIC seeks govt help to prevent misuse of 'Charkha' symbol by pvt players

Khadi and Village Industries Commission (KVIC) has approached the government seeking help to protect the misuse of the 'Charkha' symbol by private players, nationally as well as internationally. KVIC Chairman V K Saxena said the matter has been taken up with the Ministry of External Affairs, Ministry of Commerce and Permanent Mission of India at UN, Geneva seeking International Trademark protection of symbol of 'Charkha' under the article 6ter of the Paris Convention.

He said the word marks "Khadi", "Kutir", "Sarvodaya", "Khadi India" logo and "Charkha" are harbingers of the spirit of swadeshi and must be protected at all cost. KVIC has issued notices against 600 entities in India, including a renowned garment chain and 3 three entities in foreign market for misusing these symbols and indulging in unfair trade practices in the recent past, Saxena said.

Considering historical and national importance of the trademarks, he said he has written to Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal seeking his intervention so as to expedite the matter pending with the Department of Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT) which comes under his ministry. He said KVIC has taken various initiatives for protection and promotion of Khadi as a brand in India and internationally.

They are the registered proprietors of over a hundred trademarks registrations including the symbol of 'Charkha' in India and other countries like Russia, China, Germany, Australia, UK and Bhutan, he said. "These trademark and symbols, however have been misused time and again by private players for material benefits," he said.

Article 6ter of the Paris Convention for the protection of Industrial property of 1883 (1967 Stockholm Act) protects armorial bearings, flags and other State emblems as well as official signs and hallmarks of the States party to the Paris Convention. The signs published with World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) under this act are prevented from being registered or used as trademarks, across the world, without authorization.

KVIC said that due to the negligence of earlier governments, some private entities managed to register these symbols to fulfil their personal material motives. Further, he said KVIC is fighting cases in several countries for violation of the Khadi Mark Regulations and the regulations issued in 2013 by the Ministry of Micro Small & Medium Enterprises (MSME) under which Khadi India comes, empowered KVIC to grant 'Khadi Mark' registration and take royalties from any producer using the Khadi Mark.

"This initiative to prevent wrongful use of the trademarks will help reinstate the dignity and pride attached with Khadi and the symbols representing it," the Chairman said addin that Prime Minister Narendra Modi has been endorsing Khadi and due to his appeals the sale of Khadi has gone up manifolds.

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