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Indian jewellery brand Tanishq faces backlash for ad promoting Hindu-Muslim harmony

Indian jewellery brand Tanishq faces backlash for ad promoting Hindu-Muslim harmony

The advert showed a Muslim family organising a traditional baby shower for their Hindu daughter-in-law.
15 Oct, 2020

One of India’s top jewellery retailers has withdrawn an advert featuring an interfaith baby shower after a vicious backlash on social media by Hindu hardliners who said it glorified “love jihad”.

Critics of the withdrawal said it exemplified the atmosphere of religious intolerance towards minorities that has grown since Hindu nationalist Prime Minister Narendra Modi came to power six years ago.

The advert by Tanishq — owned by the giant Tata Group — showed a Muslim family organising a traditional baby shower for their Hindu daughter-in-law.

Tata’s owners are from the Parsi minority who follow the Zoroastrian religion.

Tanishq said the idea behind the Ekatvam (unity and oneness) collection was to “celebrate the coming together of people from different walks of life”.

“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,” a statement said late Tuesday.

The NDTV channel reported Wednesday that a Tanishq store was attacked in Modi’s home state of Gujarat and the manager forced to write an apology note.

The local mayor later denied the report, although he said police patrols near the outlet were increased.

Despite the advert’s withdrawal, #BoycottTanishq was trending on Twitter, with one user saying it was meant to showcase the “love jihad collection”.

“Majority of your customers are Hindu and u are hurting their sentiments. Shame on you,” wrote another user.

“Love jihad” is a recent term coined by Hindu extremists to accuse Muslim men of seducing Hindu women and making them convert — a flashpoint issue in the officially secular country.

Inter-religious relationships are rare in still hugely traditional India, particularly in rural areas where marriages are mostly arranged.

Those who cross the boundaries of caste and religion are often ostracised and sometimes killed, ostensibly to preserve family honour.

As has been the case in other similar episodes, by Wednesday no senior member of Modi’s government had commented.

“Top leaders (of the ruling party) never come out and condemn these hate campaigns. Because they are totally silent, they seem to be condoning such behaviour,” said political analyst Parsa Venkateshwar Rao.

“This creates an atmosphere of hatred all over,” he told AFP.

Comments

Imran Oct 15, 2020 11:32am
Ads fool ignorance, not reality.
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joe Oct 15, 2020 11:44am
is secularism in a country having 83% Hindus is shown or proved inly by depecting a Muslim boy marrying a Hindu girl? Think over!!
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M. Emad Oct 15, 2020 11:49am
Ad promoting 'artificial' Hindu-Muslim harmony.
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Bipul Oct 15, 2020 11:57am
Fake news. No backlash happened anywhere. Also, violent backlash will happen when this ad swaps the religion of groom and bride. No wonder they won't ever show it.
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Seemab Khan Oct 15, 2020 11:58am
Had the ad with Muslim Daughter in Law at Hindu Home, it would sure get opposite reaction from India. And same hypocrisy exists on western side of India also. Deep down, its the woman and religion.
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Teddy Oct 15, 2020 12:06pm
The advert stinks of religious bias.
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Ambikapathi Oct 15, 2020 12:16pm
Some Indians object this ad because the Bridegroom from Hindu and why not from Muslim.Muslim Mother in law didn't celebrate this function in their home but they went outside and celebrate .( Why not celebrate in their own home).
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Omveer Singh Oct 15, 2020 12:18pm
Why don't they depict the bride as a muslim girl married to a Hindu?
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Anil Oct 15, 2020 01:11pm
At least they make such ads.
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Sharjeel Syed Oct 15, 2020 01:17pm
And some people still believe that India is a secular and democratic state. How naïve !!
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Rajamani Oct 15, 2020 01:42pm
While harmony between communities is necessary, the backlash would have been violent and tremendous if the characters in the Ad had formed reverse roles. That is an Islamic girl in Hindu house. Let's be realistic.
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Ahsan Oct 15, 2020 01:47pm
Unsafe India
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Fast comment Oct 15, 2020 02:18pm
BJP never spare a moment leaving hatred, to darken Indian people harmony.
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Changez Khan Oct 15, 2020 02:21pm
India is heading towards stone-age.
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My Guy Oct 15, 2020 02:26pm
Just a media hype. There is no backlash.
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MG Oct 15, 2020 02:36pm
Companies must be sensitive to religious matters and avoid using them for increasing sales. Imagine a company advert showing a Muslim daughter of a Pakistani Hindu family....
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Imran Oct 15, 2020 02:43pm
India is not burning this time.
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TATA Oct 15, 2020 03:08pm
to compensate they should show a hindu boy marrying a muslim girl in Pakistan...
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B.N. Jha Oct 15, 2020 03:14pm
Such unity of Hindu and Muslims exist in Pakistan only.
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Fast comment Oct 15, 2020 03:17pm
Tanishq can easily promote same advertisement in Dubai, Pakistan, UK, USA, KSA, as huge amount of Indian lives there. The add is a state of Art, good creation, and must continue.
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Shah Oct 15, 2020 04:22pm
What can one expect from a racist RSS state.
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Wisdom Oct 15, 2020 04:28pm
What would be reaction in Pakistan if an ad shows a Hindu boys marrying a Muslim girl?
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MG Oct 15, 2020 05:12pm
The advert should have shown a Muslim daughter in law in a Hindu family. This is in line with how Hindus are treating our Muslim population
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sarang Oct 15, 2020 05:30pm
If it was shown as a Muslim girl marrying Hindu boy, Muslims would have opposed. Nobody wants their girl to marry out of religion. These 2 communities can never get along because of the basic ideological difference. Better to remain away from each other and maintain peace.
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Salman Oct 15, 2020 06:04pm
Its a loving ad - get over your pettyness!
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Vivek Oct 15, 2020 06:12pm
Hindu Muslim relationship can only be in films and ads, not in reality.
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AbdulHaque Shaikh Oct 15, 2020 07:08pm
First of all, I never knew that in the subcontinent Goad Bharai has any religious tone. It is celebrated equally in Hindu, Muslim and other religious communities. Same in Western countries, it is called Baby Shower . It is human tradition to welcome new human being in this world. These advertiser fool people and they must have calculated that add will fuel fury among Hindutva and then name of their company will be publicized all over globe
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Ghani K Oct 15, 2020 07:10pm
'Hatred is stronger than love '- it works for Modi & RSS
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Hamid Shafiq Oct 15, 2020 07:18pm
Where is Indian secularism?
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well-wisher Oct 15, 2020 08:52pm
A great effort to bring people together thwarted. Shame on India to curb expression of goodwill.
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PRASENJIT DAS Oct 15, 2020 10:43pm
Businesses should focus on their business and not preach. The group of Tatas don't inspire much of investors confidence except for their IT bemoth TCS. Ironically such over preaching has been counterproductive and has contributed to rise of BJP.
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kums Oct 15, 2020 11:08pm
Mob attack news by NDTV was fake news.
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Vijay Oct 16, 2020 12:47am
I totally support this ad if they show Muslim girls marrying in Hindu families.
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Truthseeker Oct 16, 2020 01:34am
Vice versa: Can you show same advertisement in Pakistan depicting a non Muslim man family and Muslim wife???
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FSA Oct 16, 2020 02:30am
@Imran Then what is reality?
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Irshaad New York Oct 16, 2020 04:31am
I condemn the narrow mindedness of my indians who are against this ad. No country is pefect, even in its secularism. By the way, Tanishq is owned by TATAs. Although the founders, the Tatas are parsis, 88 percent of the company is owned by non-parsis and institutions which are not parsi based. It is one of the biggest conglomerate companies of Inida.
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Jay Oct 16, 2020 08:56am
Will they dare advertise with a Muslim bride and Hindu groom. That is the problem.
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Zak Oct 16, 2020 12:48pm
India union is becoming an inhumane society and such unions never last.
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Sami Oct 16, 2020 03:09pm
Indian hypocracy and descrimination againt minorities nothing else!
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NK Oct 16, 2020 07:13pm
Will we not still understand. This cannot happen, period.
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AbdulHaque Shaikh Oct 17, 2020 02:40am
I believe and have experienced that goad bharai is universal tradition to welcome new comer in this world. In West it is called baby shower. This Tannish Jewelers has deliberately created the controversy to promote their name
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AJ Oct 21, 2020 04:08pm
Tanishq might have done this to stir controversy for more views? Why would anyone run such an ad in the Hindutva State?
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