Surf Excel's holi ad on Hindu-Muslim harmony lands in trouble; #BoycottSurfExcel, #BoycottHULproducts trend

Surf Excel's new ad promoting Hindu-Muslim harmony during the Holi festival has landed in trouble with hashtags #BoycottSurfExcel and #BoycottHULproducts trending on social media.

Hindustan Unilever, which is known for its products like Surf Excel, Lux, Kwality Walls, Fair and Lovely, Vaseline, has released a new advertisement of Surf Excel. In the video, some kids toss colours on a young girl riding a cycle during Holi. She tolerates them until a young boy dressed in white pyjamas and a skullcap seeks her help. She gives him a ride till the mosque for namaaz.

It is a beautiful ad that promotes communal harmony. This ad has hit the internet just a few days after the release of Red Lebel advertisement, which shows a man abandoning his father at Kumbh Mela. It is about a sentimental relationship between a father and son.

Surf Excel and Red Lebel have struck a chord with many viewers. But both the ads have not gone down well with some people who feel that Hindustan Unilever is playing with the sentiments of Hindus. Some people are also upset with the Surf Excel ad who say that it promotes Love Jihad.

The upset viewers took to Twitter to express their outburst against Hindustan Unilever. They slammed the company using hashtags like #BoycottSurfExcel and #BoycottHULproducts, which are now trending on social media.

Here are some of their comments that show their anger against the company.

PAYAL ROHATGI & Team @Payal_Rohatgi

To @HUL_News, #Masjid is not required to offer Namaz as per Quran so this Holi read Namaz at home. No need to step out. Regarding #lovejihad propoganda start making  reverse advertisement now. Lets see their tolerance when a burqa clad girl is playing holi  #BoycottSurfExcel

Sandeep Patel‏ @eshan2305

#BoycottSurfExcel if HUL is promoting communal harmony, why not make a advertisement in reverse- a group of burkha clad woman is playing holi with a group of hindu boys

101patil‏ @Tpatil3

Done intentionally. I never used Unilever product nor I am going to #BoycottSurfExcel

Bhakti‏ @bhakti_tweeting

#BoycottSurfExcel its not about the content of the ad, its about the feeling that is created, its abt an underlying message saying that we dont know how to maintain communal harmony, its about using communal subject. its a highly irritating ad.

Hinduism At STAKE‏ @WakeUpHindu

Hindustan Unilever, the company of England, first acted anti-Hindu on Kumbh Mela, now Holi. Foreign companies are working to break India's culture with money from India, so every Hindus should adopt indigenous & #BoycottHindustanUnilever #BoycottSurfExcel

Thinnai Krishnan‏ @ThinnaiK

Never play with the sentiments of any religion. #BoycottSurfExcel

Jay Patil‏ @JayPati68884786

Mad person, it depicts that hindus become insensitive and violent on their festivals. Do you have brain? Another depicts that hindus leave their old parents in kumbha mela. They're targetting hindus.#boycottHindustanUnilever #boycottSurfExcel

Snake eyes‏ @DelhiSeHuBe

Boycott #SurfExcel. No matter how much #Unilever paid to write this kind articles hindus r not stupid anymore. Enough of fake secularism