An advertisement for the jewellery brand, Tanishq was forced to pull down by right wing trolls, alleging that it “promoted love jihad”.
Taking matters to another level, a showroom of Tanishq in Gujarat’s Kutch received threats and the manager had to write an apology note.
The vicious trolling of the advertisement on social media, followed by personal threats to the employees of Tanishq and forcing them to withdraw the advertisement by right-wing supporters is a new low in the history of India.
Ever since the BJP came to power in 2014, the Hindutva right-wing supporters of the RSS/BJP have emboldened and have been dictating terms. The bullying of minorities has increased manifold with the tacit support of the ruling establishment.
Tanishq even had to issue a statement saying it was “deeply saddened by the inadvertent stirring of emotions” and that it was withdrawing the video.
The vicious trolling was also condemned by many with Congress leader Shashi Tharoor, author Chetan Bhagat and many others saying it was against the idea of India.
The BJP is benefiting from these kinds of religious polarization. However, they are doing immense damage to the social fabric of the nation. The repeated bullying of minorities has created deep division in the Indian society. The division does not augur well for India. The BJP/RSS should realize that nations founded on hatred have always failed. Pakistan is a classic example.
The founders of India have worked hard to build it as a secular democracy. This essence should be preserved at any cost.