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BJP Leader Nazia Elahi Khan Applies Tilak to Lenskart Staff Amid Dress Code Row
BJP minority morcha leader Nazia Elahi Khan visited Lenskart's Mumbai store, entered with her team, and applied tilak on several employees amid a dispute over symbols of faith in the workplace. Lenskart had earlier said its dress-code guidelines welcome symbols of faith and culture and later faced social media backlash. The episode highlights ongoing tensions around religious symbols in employment policies.
Why It Matters
The event exemplifies how political actors may engage with corporate dress-code policies, underscoring debates over religious symbols and constitutional protections in workplace settings.
Timeline
4 Events
Lenskart apologizes for any hurt caused by workplace communications
April 21, 2026
The company issued an apology: 'If any version of our workplace communication caused hurt or made any of our team members feel that their faith was unwelcome, we are deeply sorry.'
Lenskart clarifies dress code, stating it welcomes symbols of faith and culture
April 21, 2026
Lenskart released a clarification saying its updated in-store guidelines explicitly and unambiguously welcome every symbol of faith and culture, including bindi, tilak, sindoor, hijab and turban.
Video surfaces showing confrontation over symbols at Lenskart store
April 21, 2026
A video circulated online depicting Khan confronting staff at a Lenskart store about allegations that Hindu employees had been discouraged from wearing religious symbols. The footage shows her engaging with the store manager and staff during the exchange.
Nazia Elahi Khan enters Lenskart Mumbai store with team and applies tilak to staff
April 20, 2026
On April 20, 2026, Nazia Elahi Khan, leader of the BJP's minority morcha, went into Lenskart's Mumbai store with members of her team, met the store manager Mohsin Khan, and questioned alleged restrictions on Hindu symbols. She asked Hindu staff to identify themselves and then applied tilak to several employees, stating that there is no shame in bearing one and that she herself also wears tilak.