New guidelines allow employees to wear religious symbols
Editorial Perspective
- Lenskart’s apology appears to be a reactive measure in response to nationwide public outrage over its discriminatory policy, rather than a proactive correction.
- It fails to explain how such an unfair policy was approved in the first place, and what action has been taken against those who drafted it.
— Editor, HJS
New Delhi – Eyewear retail company Lenskart has issued an apology following widespread protests across the country. The company had earlier restricted Hindu employees from wearing religious and cultural symbols, while allowing the same for Muslim employees. After significant backlash, the company has now apologised and announced that Hindu employees will also be permitted to wear religious symbols.
Statement issued on ‘X’ (Twitter)
The company stated that, in order to address concerns raised by customers and society, it is making its guidelines more transparent and publicly available. Under the revised policy, employees are now permitted to wear symbols associated with their faith, such as bindi, tilak, kumkum, kalava, mangalsutra, kara, hijab, and turban. The company expressed regret, stating that if any communication from its workplace had hurt sentiments or made individuals feel that their faith was not respected, it deeply regrets the same. It added that such an approach does not represent Lenskart’s values and never will.
We have heard you. Clearly and openly. Over the past few days, our community and customers have spoken – and we have listened.
Today, we are standardizing our In-Store Style Guide and sharing it publicly and transparently:
These guidelines explicitly and…
— lenskart (@Lenskart_com) April 18, 2026
The statement further noted that more than 2,400 branches of the company are operated by individuals who work while upholding their faith and traditions. Lenskart emphasised that it is a company founded in India, run by Indians, and for Indians. It added that future policies, training materials, and communication will reflect inclusive values, and the company will continue efforts to maintain customer trust.
April 16, 2026
Lenskart’s dress code for employees permits hijab but bans bindi, tilak and kalawa
Editorial Perspective
- Hindus must completely boycott Lenskart for this blatant anti-Hindu discrimination.
- Instead of owning up or apologising, Lenskart owner dismisses the discriminatory policy as an “outdated document,” clearly exposing his arrogance and utter disregard for Hindu sentiments.
— Editor, HJS
New Delhi – Lenskart, one of India’s largest eyewear retailers, is facing intense public outrage after an internal Style Guide (Version 11.1, February 2026) was leaked online, exposing blatant religious discrimination against Hindu employees.
So I confirmed, this is genuine. This is what @peyushbansal tells his employees, hijab is okay, but bindi/tilak/Kalawa is not, for @Lenskart_com, a company that exists in Hindu majority Bharat, where most of the employees and consumers are Hindu! What do you say to this? This is… pic.twitter.com/SWfOajOjpo
— Shefali Vaidya. 🇮🇳 (@ShefVaidya) April 15, 2026
The leaked document reportedly permitted female staff to wear a black hijab and allowed black turbans for men. At the same time, it explicitly prohibited or restricted common Hindu symbols such as the bindi, tilak, visible sindoor, and kalawa (sacred thread) on the wrist. The policy instructed employees to remove these Hindu cultural markers, clearly displaying selective appeasement and cultural erasure.
Massive public backlash and boycott calls
The revelation sparked immediate and widespread anger on social media. Netizens accused Lenskart of applying blatant double standards — accommodating Islamic symbols while suppressing everyday Hindu traditions in a Hindu-majority nation. Hashtags such as #BoycottLenskart and #NoBindiNoBusiness quickly trended, with thousands of users expressing outrage and pledging to stop buying from the brand.
Hijab – Ok ✅
Turban – Only Black – Ok ✅⁉️
Kalawa – Not Ok🚫
Stone Rings – Not Ok 🚫
Bindi – Not Ok 🚫Lenskart for you! pic.twitter.com/xYYNPEqvhH
— The Jaipur Dialogues (@JaipurDialogues) April 15, 2026
Many slammed the company for being “anti-Hindu” and vowed to switch to competitors until Lenskart issues a clear, unconditional apology and revises its guidelines. Posts urging people to “boycott Lenskart if they do not remove the discriminatory rules” gained rapid traction, with users sharing personal stories and urging friends and family to join the movement. The boycott call has gained significant momentum, with several influencers and commentators actively amplifying the message and warning that such corporate policies will no longer be tolerated.
Weak damage-control by founder Peyush Bansal
Lenskart founder and CEO Peyush Bansal responded on X, claiming the leaked document was “inaccurate” and “does not reflect current guidelines.” He later admitted it was an outdated internal training material and said the problematic section was removed on February 17, 2026. Bansal apologised for the “confusion” but stopped short of explaining how such biased rules were drafted and implemented in the first place.
Netizens have dismissed his clarification as weak damage control and “too little, too late.” Many argue that the very existence of the document proves discriminatory policies were officially in place just two months ago, and a mere claim of it being “outdated” does not address the deeper issue of institutional bias.
The controversy continues to intensify, with the amplified boycott calls reflecting growing public intolerance towards selective secularism in Indian corporates.