Tanishq store attacked in Gujarat a day after trolled ad withdrawn

A store of popular jewellery brand Tanishq was reportedly attacked in Gujarat amid a row over an advertisement that showed inter-faith family was withdrawn after vicious trolling on social media.

However, some people on social media quoted the manager as saying the incident did not happen.

The store manager was reportedly made to write an apology letter by the mob. “Apologies to people of Kutch district for hurting sentiment of Hindus by broadcasting secular advertisement (sic),” the manager is said to have written in the apology letter after the Tanishq store in Gujarat’s Gandhidham was attacked on Monday night, sources said.

The advertisement – released last week – was trolled by a section on social media who felt it “promoted love jihad”.

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The trolling, however, was condemned by Congress leader Shashi Tharoor, author Chetan Bhagat, among many others, who said it was against the idea of India. The ad was removed from official accounts of the jewellery brand on Monday night as a barrage of comments directed at the brand and Ratan Tata (under whose Tata Group Tanishq rolls up) continued.

Tanishq issued a statement on Tuesday saying it was “deeply saddened with the inadvertent stirring of emotions” and that it was withdrawing the video. “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,” the statement read.

Actor Divya Dutta, who lent her voice to the controversial ad, has said that she is saddened by the company’s decision to pull it out after online backlash. The 45-second ad featured a Muslim family celebrating a traditional south Indian baby shower ceremony for their pregnant daughter-in-law.

Answering a Twitter user’s question if it was indeed her voice in the ad, she wrote, “Yes it’s my voice. It s sad it’s taken off air. I loved it.” When another Twitter user wrote that they had ‘nothing against her’, but ‘but wrong is wrong’, Divya responded, “But sir don’t we all promote brotherhood?? We as India are all about that. That’s our soul sir. Unity in diversity bachpan mein sunte the. Aise to kitne ads hote the. Koi kuch nai kehta tha.. par chalein sabke apne vichar (We used to be told of our unity in diversity. There are so many other ads that no one comments about, but to each his own)!”