Mumbai: Namita Thapar, Executive Director at Emcure Pharmaceuticals, has forcefully pushed back against ongoing online harassment, denouncing the spread of hate and urging people to uphold mutual respect among religions. The controversy began after she posted about the physical health benefits of Namaz on social media, a move that soon triggered a wave of intense and abusive trolling, reports The Free Press Journal.
In a video, Thapar said she was forced to stop her car mid-journey to work to address the situation. “I've been called 'r**di' non-stop,” she revealed, adding that the abuse extended to her mother as well. Rejecting silence, she asserted that she has realised “silence is not a virtue” when dignity and basic human rights are under attack.
A prominent face from Shark Tank India, Thapar pointed to what she described as selective outrage. She emphasised that, as a healthcare professional, her observations on religious practices are rooted purely in wellness. She noted that similar posts about Hindu traditions like Surya Namaskar and yoga asanas had not triggered comparable backlash, questioning the inconsistency.
Reaffirming her stance, she declared, “R for Religion means R for Respect,” insisting that all faiths deserve equal regard. While acknowledging she has grown used to trolling over the years, Thapar stressed that this episode “crossed a line,” prompting her to speak out not just for herself but for a broader principle. She urged “proud Indians” to raise their voices against injustice, warning that silence only enables harm.
Ending with a sharp warning—“God is watching”—and “Jai Hind,” her statement comes amid fresh controversy involving Lenskart, where an alleged internal ‘style guide’ triggered outrage before co-founder Peyush Bansal clarified it was outdated.