Twitterati now calls for #BoycottFabindia

After the fiasco with brands like Manyavar, Tanishq and most recently actor Shah Rukh Khan and the brands he endorses, the newest one pulled into Twitter's boycott league is ethnic apparel brand Fabindia. 

 

The brand has found itself in the much talked about hashtag category - with #BoycottFabindia, for its advertisement promoting its Diwali 2021 collection. 

 

The use of the Urdu phrase 'Jashn-e-Riwaaz' as a title for its collection, had led the brand to face massive internet-bashing from BJP Yuva Morcha president Tejasvi Surya on Monday (18 October), followed by other netizens who expressed their anger against the brand, for apparently 'de-Hinduising' the festival of lights. 

 

Deepavali is not Jash-e-Riwaaz.

This deliberate attempt of abrahamisation of Hindu festivals, depicting models without traditional Hindu attires, must be called out.

And brands like @FabindiaNews must face economic costs for such deliberate misadventures. https://t.co/uCmEBpGqsc

— Tejasvi Surya (@Tejasvi_Surya) October 18, 2021

Surya's tweet stated that Deepavali is not 'Jashn-e-Riwaaz' and that it was a deliberate attempt by Fabindia to cause 'abrahamisation' of Hindu festivals. He added that the depiction of models without Hindu attires must be called out and that brands like these should face economic costs for such misadventures. 

Who dresses like this on Diwali?@FabindiaNews these women look like black ⚫ wid0ws.
Not purchasing from you. Our festivals are meant to add life, colour and sanskaar to the family.
Deepavali is not Jashsn-e-Riwaaz. Period.#Boycottfabindia pic.twitter.com/rESy5aFm12

— TheTaurus (@The___Taurus) October 18, 2021

Following this, the Twiteratti was enraged and called for the brand to be boycotted. Some put up videos of how they destroyed their Fabindia outfits, while some even accused the brand of having links with the CIA. Netizens also expressed their hurt sentiments, which they termed as an attempt to insult Diwali and incorporate Muslim ideologies in a Hindu Festival.

Dear @FabindiaNews I had many Kurtas from you. Given your insult to #Diwali I have decided to not wear a single one. Am putting them to good uses. Have cut them to make car cleaners, dusters and shoe shine cloths ��#BoycottFabIndia pic.twitter.com/IMak6eqPNa

— The Prince of Good Times (@Ak5985965) October 18, 2021

FabIndia has a CIA connection.

It was started with a Ford Foundation grant.

I will write a detailed thread on it.#BoycottFabIndia

— Vijay Patel���� (@vijaygajera) October 18, 2021

The brand's ad showed male and female models wearing sarees and kurta-pyjamas, showcasing the new collection. Before it took down its tweet, posted on 9 October, the brand had written, "As we welcome the festival of love and light, Jashn-e-Riwaaz by Fabindia is a collection that beautifully pays homage to Indian culture." 

 

However, a few came in support of the brand, stating that the use of an Urdu phrase doesn't devalue the meaning behind the festival. 

 

Boycott Fabindia is trending because they’ve poetically named their Diwali collection - Jashn-e-Riwaaz. This is beyond ridiculous. How does naming a collection in Urdu lessen your Diwali for you?

— shunali khullar shroff (@shunalishroff) October 18, 2021

Last year, jewellery brand Tanishq created a furore for mixing up religious ideologies in their campaign ‘Ekatvam’, which showed a Muslim family preparing a traditional Hindu baby shower for their pregnant Hindu daughter-in-law. The brand was accused of promoting 'love jihad'. 

 

However, the lightning struck the brand a month later, again, for its Diwali campaign, in which one of the messages was to celebrate with family and not burst crackers. This ad was criticised for advising Hindus how to celebrate their festivals.