Dabur takes down its Fem Bleach ad over the lesbian couple controversy

In a year that saw unending controversies on social media, concerning hurt religious sentiments of Indian netizens, another one bites the dust. Homegrown FMCG brand Dabur India has now faced public outcry over its Karva Chauth ad for its brand Fem Bleach. 

 

The ad showed two young women celebrating Karva Chauth - a Hindu ritual that sees married women not eating from sunrise to moonrise, for the long life of their husbands. The women in the ad were shown looking at each other through a sieve. 

 

 

However, the ad didn't go down quite well for many netizens, and especially for Madhya Pradesh Home Minister, Narottam Mishra, who was deeply offended by the ad and claimed that it was 'objectionable'. He also stated that he had prompted the director general of police, asking the brand to withdraw its ad, failing which, it would face legal consequences. 

 

Addressing a press conference by ANI, Mishra also claimed that most advertisements were based on Hindu festival rituals and that there could be a similar situation with gay men too, if action wasn't taken against this. He stated that going forward, scenes that could hurt Hindu sentiments should not be shot and that there would be permanent guidelines for brands and prior permission that they'd require, for the shooting of such scenes. 

 

Following Mishra's reaction and other netizens' hurt religious sentiments, the FMCG giant took down its ad and even issued an apology via a tweet on 25 October. 

Fem's Karwachauth campaign has been withdrawn from all social media handles and we unconditionally apologise for unintentionally hurting people’s sentiments.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

Some felt that the brand mocked the Hindu ritual, whereas some tried to bring the infamous boycott culture back. 

#BoycottFem&Dabur
Hindu festivals are being targeted continuously, in this episode, now Dabur's Fem Bleach has also come down ,in which a lesbian couple is shown making fun of Karva Chauth.
This is our last warning for all companies. pic.twitter.com/FcwZwQLiyi

— Aditya Raj (@PrinceAditya43) October 24, 2021

Hindu festivals are constantly being targeted , this time Dabur's Fem Bleach comes with a very bad advertisement , in which a lesbian couple is shown making fun of karwa chauth
��������#BoycottFem & Dabur pic.twitter.com/bhrp8OB4cU

— मनीश (@Manish_117) October 24, 2021

However, a few came in support of the brand and some even questioned the brand for taking down its ad and hiding behind the pride of inclusivity that it first intended to showcase.