Amidst the already brewing controversy surrounding the Lenskart dress code, a new controversy has now erupted regarding the placement of Hindu deities. A viral video has now surfaced online showing Hindu activists confronting store staff over small temples and images of Hindu deities reportedly kept hidden in lower cupboards or placed at foot level near employees’ legs. The clips, which spread rapidly on social media today, have triggered fresh outrage and renewed boycott calls.
In one widely shared video from a Lenskart outlet, activists enter the store and discover a small mandir-like setup with murtis and pictures of Hindu gods concealed in a lower cupboard under the counter.
A fearful-looking employee is seen as the group demands the deities be placed in a visible, elevated position 'as a mark of respect.' The activists question whether this reflects company policy, with one asking if Hindu icons are being deliberately kept 'near the legs and not in clear sight.' Similar claims have emerged from other stores, with posts alleging that store managers were instructed to store such items discreetly rather than display them openly.
The incident comes just days after Lenskart was already reeling from a major row over its internal grooming and style guide. Earlier this month, screenshots of a purported 'Lenskart Staff Uniform and Grooming Guide' went viral, showing restrictions on visible Hindu markers such as bindi, tilak, kalawa (sacred thread), and conditions on sindoor, while explicitly allowing hijab under guidelines and permitting turbans.
The perceived asymmetry sparked accusations of religious bias, widespread social media outrage, and boycott campaigns under hashtags like #BoycottLenskart. Protests followed, with videos of individuals entering stores to apply tilak on employees and, in some cases, confronting managers. This controversy come amidst the already explosive TCS Nashik row, wherein Muslim employees are being accused for sexual exploitation and forced religious conversions.
Lenskart founder and CEO Peyush Bansal, who also appears on Shark Tank India, quickly addressed the dress-code controversy. In a statement on X, he described the leaked document as an 'inaccurate' and 'outdated' version that did not reflect current policy. “Our policy has no restrictions on any form of religious expression, including bindi and tilak,” Bansal wrote. The company issued a public apology, withdrew the restrictive clauses, and released a revised in-store style guide explicitly permitting bindi, tilak, sindoor, kalawa, hijab, turbans, and other religious and cultural symbols. It emphasised that thousands of its employees across India wear their faith proudly.
Despite the clarification and policy update, the new videos have reignited questions about on-ground implementation and corporate sensitivity. Social media users, including prominent voices, have directly tagged Bansal, asking “what is wrong” with the leadership and urging Hindu shareholders and customers to reconsider their association with the brand. Lenskart, a homegrown Indian company that has grown into one of the country’s largest eyewear retailers with thousands of stores, has not yet issued a specific comment on the latest videos as of this reporting.
