The Tanishq ad was released last week.
An advertisement by the Titan Group's Tanishq Jewellery has been pulled off air after a huge backlash on social media with #BoycottTanishq trending on Twitter on Monday. The advertisement featuring an interfaith baby shower, released last week, was targeted by a section on social media who felt it "promoted love jihad". But many others condemned the bigotry and hate-filled posts pushing the boycott trend, calling it completely against the Idea of India.
The ad shows a pregnant woman in a sari escorted by a woman she calls "Ma (mother)", to a baby shower ceremony. At the end of the video, the young woman asks the older woman, apparently her mother-in-law: "But this ceremony is not held at your home...". The mother-in-law, wearing a suit and her head covered with a duppatta, replies: "Isn't it a tradition for every home to keep daughters happy?" The video is no longer available on the YouTube channels of Tanishq after a barrage of tweets against the ad.
Congress MP Shashi Tharoor this morning reacted sharply to those who called for the ad's boycott. "So Hindutva bigots have called for a boycott of @TanishqJewelryfor 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? (sic)," the 64-year-old leader wrote on Twitter.
Congress leader Abhishek Singhvi also joined those tweeting against the outrage. Ex-member of the National Commission of Women Shamina Shafiq also backed the message of interfaith harmony, saying: "Thank you for making us notice the beautiful #tanishq ad dear trolls !"
Tanishq has officially withdrawn their ad after being trolled viciously. Here's why this is a very sad state of affairs, and context from other such ads that were trolled (and some, withdrawn) https://t.co/Nb0cSiTPHXpic.twitter.com/sn3IMBqdmC
— Karthik (@beastoftraal) October 13, 2020
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? pic.twitter.com/cV0LpWzjda
— Shashi Tharoor (@ShashiTharoor) October 13, 2020
Those boycotting the Tanishq ad don't like seeing daughter in law(s) happy around mother in law's. You have seen too many soaps & too much prime times news.
— Abhishek Singhvi (@DrAMSinghvi) October 13, 2020
Thank you for making us notice the beautiful #tanishq ad dear trolls ! pic.twitter.com/Wev3VSaiCw
— shamina shafiq (@shaminaaaa) October 12, 2020
The ad is for Tanishq's new collection, called "Ekatvam", which literally means "oneness". "Each jewel from #EkatvamByTanishq, is meticulously crafted using art forms from across the country. Over 1000 Karigars have spent countless hours creating these jewels that are a captivating ode to the beauty of oneness. #TanishqWaliDiwali," a tweet on the official Twitter account reads.
However, some social media users are not ok with the ad's message. Khemchand Sharma, a member of the BJP, tweeted on Monday: "@TanishqJewelry Why are you showing a Hindu 'daughter in law' to a muslim family and glorifying it? Why dont you show a Muslim daughter in law in your ads with a Hindu family? Look like you are promoting #LoveJihad & favouring a particular Faith only... #BoycottTanishq. (sic)"
.@TanishqJewelry :
— khemchand sharma #IStandWithFarmersBill (@SharmaKhemchand) October 12, 2020
Why are you showing a Hindu "daughter in law" to a muslim family and glorifying it?
Why dont you show a Muslim daughter in law in your ads with a Hindu family?
Look like you are promoting #LoveJihad & favouring a particular Faith only...#BoycottTanishq
Many such tweets were shared using the hashtag. "#BoycottTanishq for Playing Jihadi Card for Brand Promotion (Sic)," another tweet read.
Why in all the so called "United" videos, only the man happens to be Muslim? I've never seen the bride as Muslim and the Hindu groom!#BoycottTanishqpic.twitter.com/3pu823DIl0
— प्रज्ञा वैद्य (Pragya Vaidya) (@pragyavaidya03) October 13, 2020
Another social media user wrote: . "This is hypocrisy from Tanishq!!! #BoycottTanishq".
However, there were those too who questioned the outrage and some of the tweets turned out to be witty.
People are trending #BoycottTanishq as if they buy jewelry from them on daily basis.
— Sandeep Singh (@sandeep90s) October 12, 2020
It's really sad to watch what kind of country we are turning into. An ad uniting two religions has to be taken down in the country which used to be called secular since forever.????????♀️#tanishqpic.twitter.com/8E7UDl7PeH
— Nilesh Chhanga (@ChhangaNilesh) October 13, 2020
"It's really sad to watch what kind of country we are turning into. An ad uniting two religions has to be taken down in the country which used to be called secular since forever.Woman facepalming #tanishq," a post on Twitter read.
