Ad featuring Amir Khan has created unrest among Hindus: BJP

Days after popular clothing brand Fabindia embroiled itself in a controversy over its latest clothing collection named 'Jashn-e-Riwaaz', another advertisement by tyre manufacturer CEAT Ltd., starring Bollywood actor Aamir Khan has landed in a soup.

Taking offence, BJP's Lok Sabha MP from Uttara Kannada and former Union minister Anantkumar Hegde wrote a sarcastic letter to Anant Vardhan Goenka, MD and CEO of Ceat, on 14 October stating that the ad hurt 'Hindu sentiments'.

The letter has now gone viral after it was uploaded to his official Facebook page.

The advertisement featuring Bollywood megastar Aamir Khan discourages people from bursting crackers on the roads. He claimed that the ad is creating "unrest among the Hindus."

In his letter, Hegde said, "Your company's recent advertisement in which Aamir Khan advising people not to firecrackers on the streets is giving a very good message. Your concern for public issues needs applause. In this regard, I request you to address one more problem faced by people on roads, i.e., blocking roads in the name of Namaz on Fridays and other important festive days by Muslims."

While talking about noise pollution, he also spoke about Azan which is read every day on the mic. He added that it causes great inconvenience to a lot of people.

He added that a group of 'anti-Hindu heroes' always hurt Hindu sentiments, however, never highlight the wrongdoings of their community. "Therefore, I kindly request you to take cognisance of this particular incident where your company's advertisement has created an unrest among the Hindus," he added.

"I am sure you can feel the discrimination done to the Hindus since centuries," Hedge wrote, adding that some "anti-Hindu actors" always try to hurt the Hindu sentiments.

The objection also comes in the backdrop of the latest backlash received by a Fabindia ad campaign that used the Urdu phrase "Jashn-e-Riwaaz" to describe the festival of Diwali. Fabindia subsequently withdrew its advertisement and clarified that the phrase was meant to celebrate Indian traditions and not exclusively the festival of Diwali.