Pro-Hindutva author Ms Shefali Vaidya describes the success of ‘#NoBindiNoBusiness’ campaign

Ms Shefali Vaidya

New Delhi – Until recently, various advertisements used Hindu cultural symbols; but in the past 4-5 years, these systematically purged the usage of Panati, Rangoli, flowers and even Bindi. As per Ms Shefali Vaidya, a famous pro-Hindutva author, “Through these actions, the Advertisement agencies indirectly hint that ‘Hindus should spend money on our products, but we will not respect your cultural symbols’. Their cunning intent of turning the Diwali festival into a consumer event is that Hindus blindly buy gifts devoid of any Hindu cultural symbols. Hence, I decided to start the ‘#NoBindiNoBusiness’ campaign, which later became the public sentiment, and public pressure from Hindus compelled Advertisement agencies to change their advertisements”.

Ms Vaidya continued, “Everyone tries to be a ‘reformer activist’. This entails communicating false philosophical pretences only to Hindus. The Judiciary decides on how much water should be used for Abhishek or who can or cannot enter temples or how many and for how long firecrackers can be lit ! When will this pseudo-reformist attitude end and why is it only applicable to Hindus ?

Will any Court issue opinions on illegal animal killing and its negative impact on the environment during Eid ? Not a single word of dissidence is uttered for illegal cutting of millions of trees during Christmas or lighting firecrackers on 31^st December night.

Hindu festivals cannot be used as a medium to funnel your social reformist agenda. Only in India, you can term Diwali in Urdu words as ‘Jashna-e-riwaz’ or ‘Tohfa-e-khaas’ and nothing happens to you; but this time we are noticing a change. Now, Hindus are setting their agenda and Advertisement agencies are acting accordingly. This is a victory for the ordinary Hindu who now says, ‘enough is enough’ !”