The advertisement was due for launch with the popular mythological serial "Om Namah Shivay" on Doordarshan I.

Hindustan Lever spokesperson, however, denies the charge saying that the decision to drop the advertisement came from the producer of the serial Dhiraj Kumar of Creative Eye.

He claimed that since HLL has been sponsoring the programme for the last two and half years, Kumar is under an obligation to refrain from carrying any detergent advertisement.

When contacted Sanjeev Bakshi, deputy general manager (marketing), Fena, countered this by saying that the same serial had carried Fena detergent's earlier advertisements.

He said that Creative Eye through a written communication has intimated Fena that Fulcrum, thespace selling agency for Creative Eye, has threatened to cancel its contract with the former for 250 seconds of advertising time every week in case the detergent's latest advertisement (which was barely for 30 seconds) is not dropped.

Bakshi claimed that launch of the campaign was planned for the spot the company had booked with Creative Eye for "Om Namah Shivay" however, now the company has to settle for Aaj Tak, which comes only on Doordarshan's Metro Channel.

On the content of the advertisement Bakshi said, "our USP is the dichotomy between the old and the new where we have stressed on change of focus to high action labs".

"We had urged the consumers to consider scientific basis of our research which has gone into our product as opposed to traditional faith on nimbu", he added. "We have never tried to slant the products of our competitors", Bakshi said.

"Our sources in Mumbai have said that HLL is adopting a similar strategy vis-a-vis other producers as well", Bakshi added. Fena is also expecting asimilar fate for the spot they have booked for another serial "Jai Hanuman", he added.

Bakshi also, claimed that HLL is playing bully as their spending on the programme in colossal in comparison to that of Fena.

According to him, Fena detergent has already shown promises to taken on HLL and in some of the northern states including, Delhi, Punjab, Himachal Pradesh and Haryana the product is doing better than its competitors.

HLL however, maintained that the company is still maintaining its numero uno position in all the parts of the country.

Going by all India figures Fena detergent is currently ruling at number three after HLL and Nirma.