Hyundai Motors India said it has a "zero tolerance policy towards insensitive communication"
South Korea's Hyundai Motor is facing a blowback in India after its dealer in Pakistan posted a message supporting separatists in Kashmir.
What is the controversy about:
The issue detonated after an unverified Twitter handle - @PakistanHyundai - posted a message in support of a 'Kashmir Solidarity' day, and flagged what it called a "struggle for freedom". The tweet triggered a furious response with #BoycottHyundai trending on Twitter in India for hours.
The carmaker, present in over 200 countries, faces calls for a boycott of its car in India after the tweet on behalf of Hyundai's partner Nishat Group appeared on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram. Twitter users in the country have made similar calls in the past, seeking to boycott Chinese goods after a border clash between the two countries in 2020.
BJP's foreign policy in-charge, Vijay Chauthaiwale, has asked the Korean carmaker to explain the company's "global stand on anti-India rhetoric".
Underscoring that India is second home to the Hyundai brand, the company said it has a "zero tolerance policy towards insensitive communication and we strongly condemn any such view". "The unsolicited social media post linking Hyundai Motor India is offending our unparalleled commitment and service to this great country," @HyundaiIndia said, adding that it stands firmly behind its "strong ethos of respecting nationalism".
Shiv Sena MP Priyanka Chaturvedi called on the company to avoid "wishy-washy words" and just say "we are unequivocally sorry".
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