Netizens divided after BJP leader Nazia Khan barges into Mumbai Lenskart, applies tilak on staff amid bindi-hijab style policy row

In a video that has now gone viral a BJP leader, Nazia Elahi Khan barges into a Lenkart store in Anderi, Mumbai and is seen speaking to staff and getting into a heated argent with the showroom manager.

The BJP leader is also seen applying tilak on all of the Hindu staff's foreheads in the store.

The controversy began after a document that detailed the company’s grooming polices went viral on social media.

Netizens quickly noted that the employees were barred from wearing symbols like tilak and bindi while black coloured turbans and hijabs were allowed. "religious tikka/tilak and bindi/sticker is not allowed," the documents read.

Lenskart found Peyush Bansal has since addressed the controversy on X saying,"Our policy has no restrictions on any form of religious expression, including bindi and tilak, and we continue to review our guidelines regularly." He said that the policies in the document were outdated.

Nazia Khan on Sunday posted video showing her walking into the store and questioning the employees. She demanded to know the identity of the store manager and after hearing his name she links into the ongoing row of being able to wear religious symbols in the workplace.

She is also seen accusing the staff of enforcing a ban on bindis and instructing people accompanying her to apply tilak on the manager’s forehead.

She also asks at one point whether the manager was appointed based on his religion.

Khan also reportedly asked staff members to identified their religious background and then applied tilak on all of the Hindu staff present in the store.

She also raised slogans in the outlet.

Netizens expressed confusion as to why frontline staff were being targetted for policies by the company.

One person questioned on X, “Why go after low level workers instead of finding out who made the grooming document and how it got approved and punishing them? This particular person might be just following orders. Find the big fish. If u do this & innocents get caught, that is wrong.”

Other meanwhile encouraged the act of the BJP leader.

Lenskart meanwhile updated it style guide and said that it welcomes religious and cultural expression. The company said that it was built in India and reflects the country’s diversity and that employees are encourages to bring their identities and traditions to the workplace.