New Delhi: Seems 2020 is just not a good year for jewellery brand Tanishq. After being accused of ‘promoting love jihad’ through one of its inter-faith marriage ads, now a new Diwali advertisement which discourages people from bursting firecrackers has offended Hindus.
The advertisement includes numerous Bollywood actresses like Alaya F, Nimrat Kaur, Sayani Gupta, and Neena Gupta. In the advertisement, Gupta can be heard as saying, “…definitely no firecrackers and I don’t think anyone should light any firecrackers. But a lot of diyas, lot of laughter hopefully and a lot of positivity.” The ad urges people to have a safe Diwali and celebrate it with family.
However, not many were impressed by the advice on how to celebrate Diwali and soon asked for another boycott. Using the hashtag #BoycottTanishq, many asked the brand to not ‘defame the culture’ by trying to imply that that only Hindu festivals contribute to pollution.
BJP National General Secretary from Karnataka CT Ravi lashed out at the jewellery brand and said, “Why should anyone advice Hindus how to celebrate our festivals? Companies must focus on selling their products, not lecture us to refrain from bursting crackers. We will light lamps, distribute sweets and burst green crackers. Please join us. You will understand Ekatvam.”
Why should anyone advice Hindus how to celebrate Our Festivals?
Companies must focus on selling their products, not lecture us to refrain from bursting Crackers.
We will light lamps, distribute sweets and burst green crackers. Please join us. You will understand Ekatvam. https://t.co/EfmNNDXWFD
— C T Ravi 🇮🇳 ಸಿ ಟಿ ರವಿ (@CTRavi_BJP) November 8, 2020
Soon after, many Twitter users were offended by the ‘gyaan’ and said that festivals should not be used as social awareness campaigns.
“You definitely need to fire your PR and marketing team. Where are the Diyas in this advertisement? Please stop spreading Gyan. Do you have guts to ask not to slaughter animals on a particular festival?” wrote a Twitter user.
You definitely need to fire your PR and marketing team. Where are the Diyas in this advertisement? Please stop spreading gyan. Do you have guts to ask not to slaughter animals on a particular festival? @TanishqJewelry#boycotttanishq https://t.co/HVrdLiXiaZ
— Ajith kumar (@Ajithku00142068) November 8, 2020
Let nobody tell you how to celebrate your festivals!!
Do what your family tradition is!
Follow your rituals as you have been doing since you were a child. Going to Bazar, Buying Firecrackers with your dad, using an empty bottle for rocket…
Hey, Just do your own thing! https://t.co/pkzfVvXi4q
— 🇮🇳Sudhir🔗 (@seriousfunnyguy) November 8, 2020
Last piece of advice: if you are eyeing a festival for sales, dont you dare preach. Hindus are not here to listen to your didactic ramblings. Be honest to your customers. They are smarter than your creative team that is clueless about festivals and their significance. https://t.co/HsIekprdid
— Sepiamniac🇮🇳 (@jananisampath) November 8, 2020
Who is #tanishq to advice Hindus as how to celebrate diwali. Keep your advice to yourself and apply the same for your cheap publicity campaign.
I request you all to #boycotttanishq
— Gaurav Goel (@goelgauravbjp) November 9, 2020
They are giving lectures on firecrackers Christmas me tree kaatne se deforestation nahi hota kya 🙁#boycotttanishq
— komalLporwal (@KomalPorwal7) November 8, 2020
100% boycotting. #boycotttanishq pic.twitter.com/7xIhjY4wkL
— sanatana_truth (@sanatana_truth) November 8, 2020
Can you say
No goat killing to this Bakrid, Eid, or
No firecrackers on New year or Christmas??
Ofcourse not, why advising only Hindus what they should do on their festivals??I'll buy even more firecrackers at this diwali, I promise #boycotttanishq pic.twitter.com/FyyYMpQnmy
— kiss my axe🚩 (@iHindu_boy) November 9, 2020
This Diwali, let’s kill tradition, Hindu culture and promote consumerism.
Because photoshopped secular models with fake smiles and VFX bodies loaded with regressive Gold jewellery will lead us to Ekatvam – the Vedic philosophy of Oneness. https://t.co/R0O3wfSHIO
— Vivek Ranjan Agnihotri (@vivekagnihotri) November 8, 2020
Many also pointed out that the supposed Diwali ad showed no Diwali traditions at all.
In a Diwali Advt, no Hindu icons..
No diyas
No bindis
No rangolis
No god photo or idol
No traditional dressesOn top of these they say…
"Definitely no Firecrackers!"
We'll burst fire crackers, we'll celebrate Diwali the traditional way, but…
"Will never buy Tanishq gold" https://t.co/02UkmdL21u
— Girish Alva (@girishalva) November 9, 2020
A Diwali ad without a trace of Lakshmi pujan, aarti, rangoli, diyas, mithai, food, kids, men of the hosue, gajra, flower decorations, sindoor, bangles ..but then dump moral gyan as how to celebrate even if it's against FoE #boycotttanishq zero vibes of diwali #EkatvamByTanishq https://t.co/Yb3JG0jbu3
— Munni (@munnihyderabad) November 8, 2020
Owing to the trolling and bullying, Tanishq deleted the ad, just like it had during the ‘Ekatvam’ ad controversy. Prior to this, their advertisement on interfaith love triggered a backlash on social media with some accusing the jewellery brand of promoting ‘love jihad’.
Meanwhile, states like Delhi, Maharashtra, Rajasthan, Odisha, West Bengal, Karnataka have banned bursting of crackers in public places during Diwali.