India's Khadi industry wants international protection for Gandhi's 'Charkha' symbol

The Khadi and Village Industries Commission (KVIC) is seeking international trademark protection for 'Charkha' symbol used on khadi products, according to an official statement. The commission is the registered proprietor of over a hundred trademark registrations, including the symbol of 'Charkha' in India and other countries like Russia, China, Germany, Australia, UK and Bhutan, the MSME ministry said in a statement on Wednesday.

These trademarks and symbols, it said, have been misused time and again by private players.

"In an initiative to prevent such misuse any further, KVIC has taken up the matter 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 Paris Convention," it said.

An article of the convention protects armorial bearings, flags and other state emblems as well as official signs and hallmarks of the states.

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, it said.

The commission has written to Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal seeking his intervention to expedite the matter.

"KVIC is fighting cases in several countries for violation of the khadi mark regulations," it said.

The regulations issued in 2013 by the MSME ministry empower KVIC to grant 'Khadi Mark' registration and take royalties from any producer using this mark.

"KVIC has issued notices against 600 entities in India, including a renowned garment chain and three entities in the international market, for misusing these symbols and indulging in unfair trade practices in the recent past," it added.