#BoycottTanishq Trends Again As Another Ad Promoting Cracker-Free Diwali Faces Backlash. Again, We Don’t See Why This Was A Problem

There’s exactly one week left for Diwali and saying that this year the festival won’t feel the same would be an understatement. We’d be wearing face masks, avoiding large get togethers and would not be burning crackers because the pollution is expected to spike the spread of coronavirus. Oh wait, I forgot we live in a country where culture and traditions surpass everything and the only thing that ever matters is to celebrate festivals with proper customs and rituals. This became fairly evident recently when the jewellery brand Tanishq faced severe criticism for its Diwali ad in which they tried to promote an eco-friendly celebration pertaining to the current pandemic and the poor air quality. It wasn’t taken well by the trolls on Twitter.

Just a few weeks ago, Tanishq pulled down its ad promoting harmony among two religious communities by showing inter-faith baby shower of a Hindu daughter-in-law in a Muslim home. The brand was yet again forced to pull down their Diwali ad after trolls from the religious bigots who were in no mood to be schooled about how they should be celebrating their own festival. The ad shows actors Sayani Gupta, Neena Gupta, Alaya Furniturewala, and Nimrat Kaur talking about how they are going to celebrate Diwali where Sayani says, Sayani Gupta said, “I’m hoping to meet my mom after really long, definitely no firecrackers, I don’t think anyone should light any firecrackers. But a lot of diyas, a lot of laughter hopefully and a lot of positivity.” Last I checked, Diwali was, in fact, a festival of lights and not pollution-creating firecrackers that spread toxic irritants into the air.

Watch the ad here.

What exactly is wrong with this ad? #TanishqAd https://t.co/riRsAdn7q9

— Heena Khandelwal (@heenakhandlwal) November 10, 2020

 

The hate and criticism started rolling in as soon as the ad was posted and some of the very popular and powerful people from film and politics spoke against the cracker-free Diwali. I was not surprised, just disappointed. Film director, Vivek Agnihotri wrote, “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.” Author and speaker Shefali Vaidya tweeted, “Saw a recent ad campaign by @TanishqJewelry where some bimbos prattle vacuously about how Deepavali is about buyingclothes and jewellery. Looks like this is the new woke line. Strip Deepavali of all religious significance and make it a kind of a glorified kitty party with lights!”

BJP MLA from Karnataka, CT Ravi tweeted, “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.” If that’s the opinion of our leader, what can we expect from others? Also, let me tell you about the green crackers he’s talking about that sound like a healthier and eco-friendly option to crackers but are far from it. Green crackers claim to cause 30% less air pollution but nobody tells you about how these consist poisonous chemicals such as barium nitrate which is even banned by the Supreme Court due to the health hazards it can cause. Plus, inhaling fumes from burning these crackers can cause long and short-term health impact like breathing problem, cancer and more.

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

Also Read: This Ad Showing Hindu-Muslim Harmony Was Taken Off After Trolls Accused The Brand Of Glorifying Love Jihad. What Have We Turned Into?

A number of states have imposed a ban on firecrackers ahead of Diwali including Maharashtra, West Bengal, Haryana, Odisha, Sikkim, Rajasthan and Karnataka and union territories like Delhi and Chandigarh. The National Green Tribunal (NGT) prohibited the sale of firecrackers in the National Capital Region (NCR), the region which witnesses the worse AQI every year around Diwali. The ban has been imposed from November 9 midnight to November 30 midnight, citing “celebration by crackers is for happiness and not to celebrate deaths and diseases.”

For anyone who thinks the spirit of Diwali lies in burning firecrackers is highly mistaken and misinformed. It only causes noise and air pollution and multiple health diseases. Firecrackers are banned every year due to the alarmingly bad air quality but it doesn’t deter people from continuing to pollute the city and put everyone in danger in the name of festivity. Although in metropolitan cities, the emission from vehicles and industries account for main constituents of air pollution, smoke from firecrackers on Diwali contribute to even poorer AQI plummeting it to dangerous level which can very easily be avoided. I mean, we are already fighting a disease which causes breathing problem, people.

The poisonous smoke emanating from fireworks is a health hazard for #COVID19 patients as well as those suffering from heart ailments & breathing problems. In such a situation, people should avoid fireworks during Diwali.

— Ashok Gehlot (@ashokgehlot51) November 2, 2020

 

I remember being taught in school how firecrackers are extremely harmful for the environment as well as our own health and major cause of air pollution. Either these people never got an education or worse, we are simply living among a bunch of educated fools. I t won’t be wrong to say even schoolchildren are smarter and more sensible than these people supporting burning of firecrackers. Also, I don’t understand why Tanishq even attempts to enlighten the masses with a powerful social message only to retract it afterwards every time. Is it a propaganda to please everyone? If it’s so, that’s not how you bring a social change and they need to stand their ground. Just saying!

Also Read: Sonam Kapoor Tweets About Crackers On 5th April. Twitter Calls It Double Standards