Indian internet is no stranger when it comes to condemning and boycotting brands in the name of religious sentiments. And this time, the social media goons have taken over the internet to showcase their protest against Titan group's jewellery brand, Tanishq's latest ad that narrates inter-caste marriage. The forty-five-seconds long narrative released on October 9 shows a Muslim family celebrating the godh barai (bridal shower) of their Hindu daughter-in-law to portray a message on how love and affection transcend religious differences.
However, this has provoked immense outrage among the netizens, leading them to take to twitter and vent their anger by tweeting with the hashtag #BoycottTanishq. While some expressed their rage and demanded a public apology from Tanishq, many of them called out Tanishq's brand manager, Mansoor Khan by accusing him of promoting an anti-Hindu ad campaign. Several users even expressed their disagreement and alleged Tanishq for advocating love jihad and fake secularism through advertisement.
"@TanishqJewelry is promoting love Jihaad, then how can we expect the people to stay away from it & be aware. Brands promote the sale and leave, but it's the normal people who have to suffer the sad reality on the grounds," a user tweeted.
A few even asked Tanishq if they would ever consider a Muslim daughter-in-law in the ad and show it differently. Following the backlash campaign and the outrage it has sparked among many, the YouTube link for the ad was made private, making it unavailable for people to view it.
However, this is not the first instance of a brand being called out to have hurt religious statements and sparked controversies. In 2018, the Indian detergent brand, Surf Excel faced similar controversies over its one-minute long ad which should promote religious harmony.
Meanwhile, Tanishq has now officially removed the ad from their YouTube page after facing the wrath of the users.