Ad featuring Aamir Khan hurts Hindu sentiments, claims Anantkumar Hegde

• Reacting to an ad on noise pollution caused by crackers on Diwali, BJP MP Anantkumar Hegde sought the company to take cognisance of the problems caused “in the name of Namaz”.

In yet another backlash on religious grounds, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MP Anantkumar Hegde has raised objection against an advertisement by tyres major Ceat Ltd featuring actor Aamir Khan. Hedge, who applauded the ad for raising awareness against bursting crackers on the streets, sought the company to also address the "problem blocking roads in the name of Namaz and noise emitted from mosques during Azan." In a letter to the company's MD and CEO Anant Vardhan Goenka, the BJP MP requested him to take cognisance of the recent advertisement claiming that it created an “unrest among the Hindus”, and expressed hope that in future the organisation will respect the "Hindu sentiment". "Your company's recent advertisement in which Aamir Khan advising people not to fire crackers on the streets is giving a very good message. Your concern to public issues needs applause. In this regard, I request you to address one more problem faced by people on roads, i.e., blocking roads in the name of Namaz on Fridays and other important festive days by Muslims," Hegde wrote in the letter dated October 14. The MP from Uttara Kannada went on to claim that during the Namaz, when the roads are blocked, vehicles like ambulances and firefighter vehicles are struck in traffic causing "grave losses", and added that the “loud noise… emitted from mikes arranged on the top of mosques in our country” during Azan is “beyond the permissible limits”. "On Fridays, it is prolonged for some more time. It is causing great inconvenience to people suffering from different ailments and taking rest, people working in different establishments and teachers teaching in classrooms," he said. "I am sure you can feel the discrimination done to the Hindus since centuries," Hedge wrote, adding that some "anti-Hindu actors" always try to hurt the Hindu sentiments. The objection also comes in the backdrop of the latest backlash received by a Fabindia ad campaign that used the Urdu phrase “Jashn-e-Riwaaz” to describe the festival of Diwali. Fabindia subsequently withdrew its advertisement and clarified that the phrase was meant to celebrate Indian traditions and not exclusively the festival of Diwali. Fabindia further stated that its Diwali collection is now called "Jhilmil si Diwali" which is yet to be launched. (Source: Hindustan Times)