Apple’s Siri does not respond to ‘Jai Shri Ram’, but responds to ‘Salaam Alaikum’

Devout Hindu organisations in Ujjain write to Chief Minister Dr Mohan Yadav seeking action
Warn to boycott ‘iPhone’

(Note: ‘Siri’ is a feature on Apple mobile phones through which various tasks can be performed.)

Ujjain (Madhya Pradesh) – Apple’s ‘Siri’ feature reportedly does not give any response when users say ‘Jai Shri Ram’ or ‘Jai Mata Di’, but responds immediately when they say ‘Salaam Alaikum’. Hindu organisations have opposed this. Astrologers, the Bajrang Dal and the Vishwa Hindu Parishad have termed it religious discrimination and have written to Chief Minister Dr Mohan Yadav. They have demanded that Apple make changes to its feature; otherwise, its iPhones will be boycotted. So far, Apple has not issued any response on the matter.

Why does Siri respond to “Salaam Alaikum” but not “Jai Shri Ram”?

This issue has sparked concern among saints and Hindutva organisations in Ujjain, who have written to the Chief Minister seeking action and have also warned of an iPhone boycott.

Since @Apple‘s voice-language… pic.twitter.com/er8uQdDqCG

— Sanatan Prabhat (@SanatanPrabhat) July 2, 2026

1. Astrologer Pandit Pawan Pathak has claimed that he tested this on 10 to 15 iPhones. According to him, when ‘Jai Shri Ram’ or ‘Jai Mata Di’ is spoken, Siri either gives no clear reply or remains silent. In contrast, it responds immediately when ‘Salaam Alaikum’ is said. India is a major market for Apple, with crores of users. In such a situation, all religions should be accorded equal respect. If this issue is not rectified, consumers will be urged to boycott iPhones.

2. In a letter to Chief Minister Dr Mohan Yadav, VHP District President Rajesh Anjana described this as “planned jihad”. He also said, “This is an attack on the faith of Hindus.” The VHP has demanded that until Apple rectifies this technical flaw, all Apple Stores in the State should be shut down.

3. The protest, which began in Ujjain, is now spreading on social media as well. It could develop into a major agitation. People say that no form of religious discrimination in technology will be tolerated.

What is Siri?

Apple’s Siri is a voice-based virtual assistant. It understands users’ voice commands and performs various tasks. For example, users can obtain information about the weather, news, the stock market and sports results. It can play songs and provide navigation through maps. This virtual assistant can also be used to control smart home devices.