The internet has been flooded with #BoycottTanishq trends after the Titan Group’s Tanishq Jewellery brand featured an ad showing a Muslim family throwing a baby shower ceremony for their Hindu daughter-in-law.
Since Monday, the hashtag #BoycottTanishq trended on top pressurizing the brand to pull the ad. Tanishq had to withdraw its 45 second ad featuring interfaith married couple due to severe backlash and criticism on social media accusing the ad promoting ‘Love Jihad’.
Actor Divya Dutt, who lent her voice to the ad, replied to a tweet which was calling the ad ‘wrong’. She tweeted, “But sir don’t we all promote brotherhood?? We as India are all about that. That’s our soul sir. Unity in diversity bachpan mein sunte the. Aise to kitne ads hote the. Koi kuch nai kehta tha.. par chalein sabke apne vichar!” (We heard Unity in Diversity in childhood. There are various similar ads that no one talks about, but to each his own).
On the other hand, Tanishq in a statement said the well-being of their employees, partners and store staff is the reason behind withdrawing the ad. The statement read, “The idea behind the Ekavatam campaign is to celebrate the coming together of people from different walks of life, local communities and families during these challenging times and celebrate the beauty of oneness. This film has stimulated divergent and severe reactions, contrary to its very objective. We are deeply saddened with the inadvertent stirring of emotions and withdraw this film keeping in mind the hurt sentiments and well being of our employees, partners and store staff.”
Numerous prominent personalities reacted to the controversy through social media. While some actors like Richa Chadha opposed the removal of ad, other actor Kangana Ranaut accused the ad for promoting sexism and Love Jihad. “The concept wasn’t as much a problem as the execution was,the fearful Hindu girl apologetically expressing her gratitude to her in-laws for the acceptance of her faith, Isn’t she the woman of the house? Why is she at their mercy? Why so meek and timid in her own house?, she tweeted.”
Meanwhile, Congress leader Shashi Tharoor called the ad beautiful. His tweet read, “So Hindutva bigots have called for a boycott of @TanishqJewelry for highlighting Hindu-Muslim unity through this beautiful ad. If Hindu-Muslim “ekatvam” irks them so much, why don’t they boycott the longest surviving symbol of Hindu-Muslim unity in the world — India?”
Author Shobhaa De said, “Good for you @TanishqJewelry. If only we had more ads like this sensitive and brilliant one promoting love between different communities, India would be a far better place for all. Shame on trolls #downwithbigotry.”
Likewise, author Chetan Bhagat commented, “Dear #tanishq, most people attacking you can’t afford you anyway. And given where their thinking will take this economy, they soon won’t have jobs and hence definitely won’t able to buy anything from #tanishq in the future too. Don’t worry about them.”
Shares of Titan Company limited has observed a decline of 2.18% or Rs. 27.35 per share on the Bombay Stock Exchange amid the controversy.
An alleged Hindu mob on Wednesday attacked a Tanishq showroom in Kutch’s Gandhidham. Reportedly, it abused the staff members and put an apology on the door over the withdrawn advertisement. It stated that Tanishq was apologizing to Samagra Kutch Jilla Hindu Samaj for its advertisement.
“We apologise to Hindu community of Kutch on the shameful advertisement of Tanishq,” the note read. According to police, the apology was pasted on the showroom’s door on October 12, and has since been removed.
Superintendent of police, Kutch-East, Mayur Patil denied any such attack. He said, “No such attack has taken place.”
“Around 120 people gathered in front of our showroom and six or seven of them later barged in and hurled abuses at the staff. They said they were Hindus and wouldn’t tolerate such ads. We told them that the ad was just meant to promote our jewellery business and nothing else and that the Gandhidham showroom had not issued it but that it was a decision of the company. We told them that we, too, are Hindus. But they didn’t listen to us. Some of them pasted a poster on the door of our show-room, clicked selfies by posing in front of that poster and then they dispersed,” an employee told The Indian Express.