DNA Special: Advertisement depicting inter-faith custom leaves India divided

Can an advertisement hurt the sentiments of millions of people in India? Is an advertisement intended to sell only goods, or does it also have a profound effect on the mind and brain? Today, we will be talking about a similar advertisement which has divided the country into two parts, that is, an advertisement that has divided the country ideologically on the basis of religion. An advertisement by a famous jewellery brand in India showed a Hindu girl as a daughter-in-law of a Muslim family and the majority of the people in the country were agitated. They say that the story line of this ad should have been reversed. That means a Muslim daughter-in-law should have been shown in a Hindu family and now the question is being asked whether it is possible to show all these in our country?

After the backlash, in a fresh statement issued by the jewellery brand, its spokesperson, while explaining the basic concept behind the ad, has stated that the company has decided to withdraw it keeping in mind 'the hurt sentiments and well being of employees, partners and store staff'.

But first of all, understand where this dispute started.

The advertisement caused a stir online as people felt that the ad depicting an interfaith function, released last week, was promoting 'love jihad'. But today, the company had to withdraw its advertisement when the protest against the ad started on social media. Those who are opposing it say that these ads promote 'love jihad'. People also allege why a Hindu woman is married to a Muslim man every time in films and advertisements. Why is it not shown the other way round that is why is a Muslim woman is not married to a Hindu man in an advertisement or film?

On the other hand, there are those who are telling this advertisement promotes religious harmony and should be aired.

This is not the first time that religion has been depicted in an advertisement. There are six major religions in India -- Hinduism, Islam, Christianity, Sikhism, Jainism and Buddhism. India has a share of all these religions in the 135 crore population. But the highest number is Hindus. So they are also called majorities. The second highest number of people are Muslims. However, the sentiments of the majority of the population were not cared for and all sensitivity was shown on issues related to minorities. But perhaps for the first time, the majority of the country's population has been so sensitive about their feelings and that is why this ad was withdrawn when people objected to this advertisement.

However, even on the issue of this advertisement, the country has been divided into two parts. One section says such advertisements should be banned, the other section says that the decision to withdraw the ad is unfortunate and TATA company has taken the decision to remove the ad under pressure these are the people who call themselves secular. Such people are also accusing this company of acting under pressure from the majority and saying that it will endanger India's secularism. But what we have to say to such people is that the company has actually introduced secularism by withdrawing these advertisements. Because true secularism is visible only when you take care of people's feelings.

But we also want to ask a question to those who are opposing the decision to withdraw the ad. Our question is, if this advertisement had shown a Muslim woman as a daughter-in-law of a Hindu family, would it be acceptable to Muslims?

An 18-year-old Hindu boy in Delhi named Rahul Rajput was brutally murdered only because he loved a Muslim girl living in the neighbourhood. The murder charge has been imposed on the girl's family. Rahul was the only son of his parents. The police have arrested the girl's brother Mohammad Raj and his friend Manwar Hussain for Rahul's murder. Even the girl, whose family is accused of this murder, is demanding an investigation. This girl is at risk of life from her own family  so she is living at the Nari Niketan.

Those who remained silent on Rahul Rajput's murder are today citing the jewellery advertisement as an example of communal harmony. You may have noticed that for the last 70 years, films and advertisements have shown the minority population under a certain prism. But sometimes the truth of real life is different from films. Today, a woman named Ayesha set herself on fire in Lucknow, the capital of Uttar Pradesh. The real name of the woman is Anjana Tiwari and it is said that she had changed her religion by marrying a Muslim man named Asif and he had become Ayesha from Anjana. After the marriage, Asif himself moved to Saudi Arabia. After Asif went to Saudi Arabia, her in-laws started harassing Anjana. The woman had complained to the police several times, but when there was no hearing, the woman immolated herself outside the Secretariat in Lucknow. The woman has been hospitalised and is in a critical condition.

Minorities have been represented with a special image in films and advertisements during the last 70 years. Especially in Hindi films, all efforts are made to maintain this image. In films, if the villain is Hindu, religious symbols are definitely used for him -  like 'teeka' on his forehead or a garland around his neck. While the minority character is shown as a strong personality. In films, such characters are shown to be firm in principles and word. These are all things we are doing on the basis of facts. How the image of one community is brightened in films and the image of another community is tarnished.. Understand this with the help of some facts and figures.

Prof Dhiraj Sharma, Director of IIM Rohtak has studied several films released between 1950 and 2010 and the results of this study are shocking.

It showed that 74 per cent of Sikhs in films are characters who are ridiculed. There are 58 per cent of the characters of corrupt politicians whose name they say is that they are Hindu Brahmins. The names of 62 per cent characters of corrupt traders belong to the Vaishya character. On the contrary, 84 per cent of films show Muslim characters as very religious and honest.

Nobody objected to why Muslim characters are shown honest and religious in films, but the majority of the population should be questioned through films.

In many famous films and web series, negative characters are shown with Hindu names. These characters who do bad with people are Hindus

On the contrary, Muslim characters shown in films are shown as a Messiah or Robin Hood. A Muslim liquor smuggler turns into a clever trader. There are many such examples.

The mockery of Hinduism is very easily blown away in films in the name of creative freedom, but no one dares to do so with any other religion. The famous 1970 Hindi film 'Deewar', Amitabh Bachchan's character Vijay goes to the temple and questions God, but no one raises any objection.

Films like Ram-Leela, PK and many others have shown Hinduism and Hindu customs in a poor light but no objections were raised.

Prof Sharma also conducted research on 20 such films centred around Pakistan. This research revealed that 18 films showed the people of Pakistan as large-hearted and welcoming towards Indians. For example, in the film Bajrangi Bhaijaan, Hindu characters are shown as radicals and narrow-minded.. While most Pakistani characters were shown to be open-minded.

The number of people watching Hindi films in Pakistan is 18 crore. While the majority of Hindus in India who are affected by the films are about 100 crore. Nevertheless, Pakistanis get respect in Indian films, but the majority make fun of themselves.

But if you look at South Indian films carefully, it does not happen in most of the films there. The temples are also shown in the films of South India and the hero is proudly shown as a Hindu. The biggest example of this is the famous film Baahubali, whose main protagonist is not only Hindu but also a great devotee of Lord Shiva.

It is the strange paradox that films insult the majority and minorities get respect. But there was a time when Muslim actors came to the movies, he used to change his name. For example, Mohammad Yusuf Khan became Dilip Kumar, Mumtaz Jahan Dehlavi became Madhubala. Mahjbean Bano became Meena Kumari and Hamid Ali Khan became Ajit. These are just a few examples. But from these, you must have understood that Hindus are just a consumer for films and advertisements. A consumer whose feelings do not take a moment to hurt.

You should understand when and how the word Secular entered the society and constitution of India.

When the Constitution of India was enacted on January 26, 1950, India was not a secular country. After the 42nd Amendment to the Constitution in the year 1976, India became a secular country. So it raises two questions.. First, who is responsible for playing secularism in India? And, secondly, whether India has been secular even after the 42nd Amendment to the Constitution?

In fact, the word Secular is the product of Europe. Religion i.e. creed and government were separated in Europe. So that communal quarrels could be stopped and the same system was called SECULARISM. That means the governments there neither support nor oppose a particular sect.

Therefore, secularism these days is seen as a fashion statement by the so-called modern Indians who feel proud to call themselves secular.