FabIndia Says “Jashn-E-Riwaaz” Not Its Diwali Collection, Deletes Tweet Amid Boycott Calls

Image credit: https://www.fabindia.com

Ethnic wear brand FabIndia has deleted a tweet with its recent advertisement for its festive collection amid calls by a section of social media to boycott it for its purported messaging.

Earlier this month, FabIndia had tweeted a link to an article about its collection, featuring five models in maroon Indian wear. “As we welcome the festival of love and light, Jashn-e-Riwaaz by FabIndia is a collection that beautifully pays homage to Indian culture,” the retailer had tweeted.

The tweet has been deleted.

FabIndia’s website now features the same photo minus the tagline “Jashn-e-Riwaaz”.

In a statement, FabIndia said its capsule of products under the name “Jashn-e-Riwaaz” is “not our Diwali collection of products” and that its yet-to-be-launched Diwali collection will have another name - “Jhilmil si Diwali”.

“We at Fabindia have always stood for celebration of India with its myriad traditions in all hues. In fact ‘Fabindia – Celebrate India’ is our tagline and also a wordmark. Our current capsule of products under the name Jashn-e-Riwaaz is a celebration of Indian traditions. The phrase means that, literally. The capsule is not our Diwali Collection of products. Our Diwali collection is called “Jhilmil si Diwali” is yet to be launched. Please do keep a look out. It is going to be beautiful,” a top official of the company said.

Targeting FabIndia, BJP MP Tejasvi Surya on Monday tweeted that “Deepavali is not Jash-e-Riwaaz” and that the brand “must face economic costs for such deliberate misadventures.”

Deepavali is not Jash-e-Riwaaz.

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

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

— Tejasvi Surya (@Tejasvi_Surya) October 18, 2021

His tweet set off a round of outrage and trolling as other Twitter users joined the chorus and called for boycotting FabIndia.

#BoycottFabIndia

We will buy from brands who promote Deepavali but not at all a festival which isn't celebrated in this part of the world.
All these days, I was in a wrong notion that @FabindiaNews is a Swadeshi brand, not only their brand but also soul too isn't Indian pic.twitter.com/6055Occr7R

— Santhosh Manduva (@santhoshmanduva) October 18, 2021

Wow @FabindiaNews great job at de-Hinduising Deepawali! Call it a ‘festival of love and light’, title the collection ‘Jashn-e-Riwaaz’, take Bindis off foreheads of models but expect Hindus to buy your overpriced, mass produced products in the name of ‘homage to Indian culture’! https://t.co/S47g1ArUbB

— Shefali Vaidya.

“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?” author Shunali Khullar Shroff tweeted.

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

In the context of the drummed-up controversy over Fabindia's Diwali ad, it might be salutary to recall that the Farsi word 'jashn' comes from the Avestan 'yasna' or 'worship', itself akin to the Sanskrit 'yajna' or 'propitiation'. @Tanazhm @kaiwan_mehta @MeherM @ShernaKhambatta

— Ranjit Hoskote (@ranjithoskote) October 19, 2021

Bhakts are boycotting FabIndia because it used an Urdu phrase for the Diwali clothing line.

By that logic, they should boycott Diwali too, because it has Ali in it.

— Narundar (@NarundarM) October 18, 2021

“Anyway, what does language have to do with religion,” another social media user tweeted.

“Tanishq, iD foods, Infosys, Fabindia, Unacademy. These are some of India's most valuable brands being held to ransom by vigilantes. The message is clear,” another user tweeted.

Tanishq, iD foods, Infosys, Fabindia, Unacademy

These are some of India's most valuable brands being held to ransom by vigilantes. The message is clear.

— peeleraja (@peeleraja) October 18, 2021

Last October, popular jewellery brand Tanishq faced massive social media trolling over an ad featuring an interfaith baby shower, forcing it to take down the ad.

FabIndia was founded in 1960 by John Bissell and started out as a firm exporting home furnishings.