Furniture designer refuses to build desk for PMO over 'atrocities against Muslims'

A furniture designer Kunal Merchant recently took to Instagram to share that he has refused an offer to build a desk for the Prime Minister's office over ideological differences. He cited the atrocities against Muslims as a reason to not work with the Prime Minister of India.

The designer shared screenshots of the email he supposedly received from the Prime Minister's office and the reply he sent detailing the thoughts behind his decision. However, a complaint of identity fraud was filed with Delhi Police. The email is allegedly sent by someone impersonating an office-bearer of the PMO.

Mr. Kunal was approached by someone who introduced himself as the Private Secretary to Prime Minister. The offer was to build a permanent installation/executive table for the exclusive use of current and future Prime Ministers. He was asked to call a number given in the email to discuss further details.

The designer wrote a lengthy reply citing fundamental opposition to the policies and ideology of the Modi government as the reason for the refusal. He said that it is "morally and ethically" unfeasible on his part to be in a business relationship with the government.

He recounted that history treats supporters, suppliers, and propagators of Nazis as Nazis themselves. Mr. Merchant described the Modi regime to be perpetrators of racism, fascism, reductive and binary thinking, and thuggery.