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- Published: October 26, 2021 13:07
New Delhi: Customer goods giant, Dabur’s recent ad on Karwa Chauth raised a storm on social media after they featured the festival celebration by the same-sex couple. The ad has been unveiled to the online abuse and veiled threats from BJP leaders.
On Tuesday, the company took down their Fem bleach commercial for Karwa Chauth that celebrated inclusivity, equality, and a progressive view of marriage. The ad received harsh responses from Madhya Pradesh Home Minister Narottam Mishra.
The company stated in brief, “Fem’s Karwa Chauth campaign has been withdrawn from social media handles and we unconditionally apologise for unintentionally hurting people’s sentiments.”
Fem’s Karwachauth campaign has been withdrawn from all social media handles and we unconditionally apologise for unintentionally hurting people’s sentiments. pic.twitter.com/hDEfbvkm45
— Dabur India Ltd (@DaburIndia) October 25, 2021
The withdrawal of the ad was escalated following Narottam Mishra slammed the company for showing lesbians celebrating Karwa Chauth.
In a statement, Mishra said, “I consider this a serious matter. More so because such advertisements and clippings are made on the rituals of Hindu festivals only. They (the advertisement) showed lesbians celebrating Karva Chauth and seeing each other through a sieve. In future, they will show two men taking ‘feras’ (marrying each other according to Hindu rituals). This is objectionable”
On Monday, he directed the state police chief to address Dabur India to take down the ad and if not done, take legal steps against the company. “And if it fails to do so, taken legal steps after examining the advertisement,” he added.
Mishra’s comment came into the limelight just after defending violence by the right-wing goons on the sets of Ashram 3, a web series directed by Prakash Jha, starring Bobby Deol.
The controversial ad shows two young women discussing the importance of Karwa Chauth and the reason behind the celebration as they prepare for the night.
The women are seen facing each other, holding sieve and decorated plates which manifest them to be partners just when the Fem’s logo appears and a voiceover says, “glow with pride.”
However, several netizens appreciated the straightforwardness of the ad. One of the users stated, “Well done, Fem/Dabur! A nice film for a traditional, often-criticized festival by an otherwise conservative brand,” while another one wrote, “It is great to see that inclusive ads can be made only with Hindu festivals and traditions as Hinduism doesn’t discriminate and accepts all.”
However, hated comments were also witnessed across social media. One wrote, “Why doesn’t Dabur or whoever come up with similar ads for Xmas or Eid or any other festival? Why target Hindu festivals?”
The attack on Dabur came days after Fabindia, a globally acclaimed brand that highlighted the government’s ‘made in India’ approach was targeted for naming its collection ‘Jashn-e-Riwaaz.’