Tanishq withdraws interfaith family ad after ‘love jihad’ allegation, sparks fresh debate

Agencies
October 13, 2020

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New Delhi, Oct 13: Jewellery brand Tanishq on Tuesday withdrew its ad showing an interfaith family following a sharp backlash on social media with some accusing the company of promoting love jihad' and fake secularism'

The company's move prompted intense debate on social media and elsewhere, just as the ad to promote its jewellery collection Ekatvam (oneness) had deepened faultlines since its release last week.

The 43 second commercial, which led to the hashtag #BoycottTanishq trending on Twitter, shows a pregnant woman being led to her bridal shower, a Hindu custom called godh bharai', by a woman who viewers later realise is her mother-in-law.

The young woman, in a sari and bindi, addresses the older one, in a salwar kurta and a dupatta covering her head, as Ma' and asks, But you don't celebrate this custom? The mother responds with a gentle, The tradition of keeping daughters happy is there in every home. Setting the scene of a composite family, a woman in a hijab, people in saris and a man in a skullcap can be seen in the backdrop.

The description of the video on YouTube read: She is married into a family that loves her like their own child. Only for her, they go out of their way to celebrate an occasion that they usually don't. A beautiful confluence of two different religions, traditions, cultures."

The commercial opened the floodgates of debate and trolling with a flurry of tweets demanding a ban on the advertisement and a boycott of the brand, a Tata product.

Tanishq first disabled comments and likes/dislikes on its ad on YouTube, and on Tuesday withdrew the video altogether. No reasons were given for dropping the ad. Tanishq has not yet responded to PTI's request for a response or issued a statement.

The removal of the ad led to fresh debate on Twitter with several people, including Congress MP Shashi Tharoor, writer Chetan Bhagat and actor Swara Bhasker calling out the trolls.

"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?" tweeted Tharoor.

His party colleague Abhishek Singhvi joined him.

"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," tweeted Singhvi.

Two States author Bhagat said the company should not get bullied.

As a TATA group company, expected #Tanishq to be fairer and braver. If you have done nothing wrong, if you have shown something beautiful about our country, don't get bullied. Be Indian. Be strong, he said.

Actor Swara Bhasker was also critical and put out a caustic tweet saying, Such a large company, such a weak spine.

"TBH, reacting to paid twitter trends and manufactured outrage is just myopic. The ad was lovely. Standing by it would have made 'em cooler, foresighted and balsy. But alas #tanishq," added her colleague Richa Chadha.

Blogger and writer Richa Singh came out in the company's support, saying those preaching that Tanishq should not have withdrawn the ad obviously don't own jewellery shops.

In a hooligan environment like the present they will first protect their employees' and business interest and then think about your inquilab. So please, drop it, she tweeted.

The polarisation was evident right since October 9 when the ad was first released with many people slamming Tanishq for projecting fictional interfaith union and promoting love jihad', a reference to an alleged campaign by Muslims to convert Hindu girls in the guise of love. And many others lauding it for showing a syncretic, harmonious India.

"Tanishq jewellery's 'Ekatvam' series' ad projects a fictional 'interfaith' union, a Muslim family, a Hindu daughter-in-law being allowed to do a Hindu ritual. Nothing but promotion of love jihad #BoycottTanishq," tweeted former IAS officer and author Sanjay Dixit.

BJP leader and former MP Geetha Kothapalli described the ad as bizarre, highly objectionable and normalising #LoveJihad .

I want to know who directed this Ad and who wrote? Pull this AD down #BoycottTanishq," she said on Twitter.

"Why are you showing a Hindu "daughter in law" to a Muslim family and glorifying it? Why don't 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...," said another Twitter user, Sharma Khemchand.

As the clamour for the boycott of Tanishq grew, there were many who came out in its support. Many kudos came its way for "not shying away from addressing one of the biggest divides" in the nation.

Journalist and columnist De posted a tweet with the hashtag #downwithbigotry'. "Good for you @TanishqJewelry. If only we had more ads like this sensitive and brilliant one promoting love between different communities, India would be a far better place for all. Shame on trolls," she said.

Some used humour to dispel the tension.

"People are trending #BoycottTanishq as if they buy jewelry from them on daily basis," tweeted @sandeep90s.

"Thank you for making us notice the beautiful #tanishq ad dear trolls!" tweeted @shaminaaaa.

It is not the first time that Tanishq has broken stereotype and challenged societal norms with its ad.

In 2013, it promoted remarriage in an ad made by Lowe Lintas. However, back then the commercial didn't attract any controversy and was widely appreciated.

The agency received plaudits this time too.

"Good on you, @TanishqJewelry and @MLLintasGroup for making the ad for Ekatvam. It must NOT have been an easy call to take, you will probably lose some business, but you did the right thing by not shying away from addressing one of the biggest divides in this nation#tanishq," tweeted @iSrikanth.

Last year, Surf Excel was severely criticised for an ad showing Hindu-Muslim unity.

The detergent brand, known for its tagline daag acche hai', was subjected to the '#Boycott Surf Excel' trend on Twitter. Its Holi ad featured two children, a Hindu girl and a Muslim boy. The girl dressed in white is seen riding a bicycle and challenging neighbourhood kids to splash colour on her. It is later revealed that she did so to protect her Muslim friend who had to go to the mosque for prayers.

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News Network
February 3,2025

Udupi: A 59-year-old man has allegedly lost ₹20.17 lakh in a stock market scam after being lured by promises of high returns.

Vinod, the complainant, stated that he discovered an online stock market-related company, PML Securities, on November 2 last year. Encouraged by its offerings, he began investing through the company’s mobile applications, PML Max and PML PRO, starting from November 27.

Initially, his investments were returned in line with the IPO (Initial Public Offering) process, reinforcing his trust in the platform. However, trouble arose when he attempted to withdraw his funds, only to find himself unable to do so. Upon contacting the company, he was allegedly persuaded that additional payments were required to unlock his money.

Trusting the assurances given, Vinod continued making payments, transferring a total of ₹20.17 lakh to various bank accounts linked to the company until December 24. The complaint alleges that the operators of PML Max and PML PRO deceived him by falsely promising substantial returns on stock market investments.

A case has been registered at the Manipal Police Station, and an investigation is underway.

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News Network
February 6,2025

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A U.S. military aircraft carrying 104 Indian migrants deported from the United States landed in Amritsar, Punjab, on Wednesday. This marks the first such deportation flight under President Donald Trump's intensified crackdown on illegal immigration. 

Harrowing Journeys in Pursuit of the American Dream

Many of the deported individuals undertook perilous journeys orchestrated by unscrupulous agents who promised legal entry into the U.S. Harvinder Singh, from Tahli village in Punjab's Hoshiarpur district, recounted his ordeal:

False Promises and Dangerous Routes: After paying an agent ₹4.2 million for a U.S. work visa, Singh was rerouted through multiple countries, including Brazil and Colombia. He endured a treacherous two-day trek through mountainous terrain, often referred to as the "donkey route," and a perilous sea journey toward the Mexico-U.S. border. During this voyage, the boat capsized, resulting in the death of a fellow traveler. 

Survival Amidst Tragedy: Sukhpal Singh from Darapur village described a similar experience, involving a 15-hour sea journey and a 45-kilometer hike through hazardous hills. He witnessed numerous fatalities along the way and was eventually apprehended in Mexico before reaching the U.S. Detained in a dark cell for 14 days, he emphasized the dire conditions faced by many Punjabi migrants. 

Financial Ruin and Broken Dreams

Families of the deported migrants are now grappling with substantial debts incurred to fund these ill-fated journeys.

Crippling Debts: Kuljinder Kaur, wife of Harvinder Singh, lamented, "We sold whatever little we had and borrowed money at high interest to pay the agent, hoping for a better future. But he deceived us. Now, not only has my husband been deported, we are also left with a huge debt." 

Mortgaged Futures: In Kapurthala's Behbal Bahadue, Gurpreet Singh's family mortgaged their home and took loans to send him abroad. Similarly, Jaswinder Singh's family in Fatehgarh Sahib spent ₹5 million, only to face the burden of high-interest loans after his deportation. 

Government Response and Future Implications

This deportation operation precedes Prime Minister Narendra Modi's upcoming visit to Washington for discussions with President Trump. The Indian government has expressed its willingness to accept deported nationals after proper verification. Between November 2023 and October 2024, the U.S. deported 519 Indian citizens, with estimates suggesting around 725,000 unauthorized Indian immigrants currently reside in the U.S. 

The deported individuals' experiences underscore the perils of illegal migration and the exploitation by fraudulent agents. Authorities urge citizens to pursue legitimate avenues for international travel and employment to avoid such tragedies.

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News Network
February 11,2025

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Addressing the AI Action Summit in Paris, Prime Minister Narendra Modi stressed that AI is writing the code for humanity in this century.

"I am grateful to my friend President Macron for hosting this summit and for inviting me to co-chair it. AI is already reshaping our economy, security and even our society. AI is writing the code for humanity in this century...," PM Modi said.

Giving a simple experiment, he said, "If you upload your medical report to an AI app, it can explain in simple language, free of any jargon what it means for your health. But if you ask the same app to draw an image of someone writing with their left hand, the app will most likely draw someone writing with their right hand...".

He also stressed on the need for open source systems that enhance transparency.

"Governance is also about ensuring access to all, especially in the Global South. It is where the capabilities are most lacking be it power, talent, or data for the financial resources. AI can help transform millions of lives by improving health, education, agriculture and so much more. It can help create a world in which the journey to sustainable development goals becomes easier and faster. To do this, we must pull together resources and talent. We must develop open-source systems that enhance trust and transparency. We must build quality data sets free from biases...," the Prime Minister said.

Highlighting AI's potential to shape humanity's future at Paris summit, PM Modi said, "We are at the dawn of the AI age that will shape the course of humanity." 

Hailing India's digital revolution, PM Modi said, "India has successfully built a digital public infrastructure for over 1.4 billion people at a very low cost. It is built around an open and accessible network. It has regulations and a wide range of applications to modernise our economy, reform governance and transform the lives of our people...Today, India leads in AI adoption and techno-legal solutions on data privacy...We have one of the world's largest AI talent pools."

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