New Delhi: Bharat Matrimony posted a video on Holi, also International Women’s Day this year. It is about the harassment faced by women that causes them to stop celebrating the festival. But some users have accused the matrimonial website of targeting a particular community while others praised it for raising an important issue. Soon, #BoycottBharatMatrimony started trending with Twitter users taking sides.
The 75-second clip was originally tweeted with the caption, “A lot of women have stopped playing Holi due to the trauma they experience through harassment. Watch this video that brings this to life in a hard hitting way. This Holi, let’s celebrate Women’s Day, and choose to keep them safe everyday. #BeChoosy #Holi #Holi2023 #WomensDay.”
The video showed a woman with her face covered in different colours. But as she washes the coloured powder (gulal), bruises are seen on her face with the message appearing as text supers: “Some colours don’t wash away easy”. The video soon became viral and triggered a massive outcry.
“Many women are harassed in trains, is it the fault of trains? Do they stop going in trains? Harassment is evil we all need to fight together, please don’t drag in Holy Holi,” commented one user.
“Nice. Bharat Matrimony should next come out with a video that talks about domestic violence and deaths due to dowry. About abuse in the very core of its business. It won’t. Then why this needless pontification?” asked another.
“#BoycottBharatMatrimony Shame on @bharatmatrimony for using a Hindu festival like #Holi to run their social awareness agenda,” a third user tweeted.
As #BoycottBharatMatrimony started gaining traction on Twitter, some users praised the matrimonial site for raising an important issue.
“This is indeed very brave of @bharatmatrimony. Festivals cannot and should not be a traumatic experience. Respect and Consent is vital and what better than the #WomensDay to send this message out to all those men who abuse, harm and disrespect women,” tweeted one user. “Bharat Matrimony showing the “true colours” of the festival… apparently 1/3rd women stopped playing because of molestation so probably 90% faced molestation at-least…shocking,” said another.
“Some people are very angry on this video. But thanks to @bharatmatrimony for raising this sensitive topic. Illiterate people can neither understand nor want to understand,” tweeted another.
Bharat Matrimony deleted the video but posted it again later with a changed tweet text.
This Women’s Day & Holi, let’s celebrate by creating safer and more inclusive spaces for women. It’s important to acknowledge the challenges that women face in public spaces and create a society that truly respects their well-being – today & forever.#BharatMatrimony #BeChoosy pic.twitter.com/9bqIXZqaXu
— Bharatmatrimony.com (@bharatmatrimony) March 8, 2023
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