Days after announcing their association with Samay Raina and Tanmay Bhat, Kotak Mahindra Bank withdrew the campaign after a new controversy. Netizens dug up the internet to find decade-old tweets of the comedian on matters of religion and sexual offence.
Tanmay Bhat has often been in controversy for his statements and tweets. His old tweets where he is seen commenting on children and Hindu gods are resurfacing.
I am a customer of your bank but the fact that you have hired a hinduphobic, woman and child abuser Tanmay Bhat for a campaign is making me consider closing my account. Discontinue the association with him and apologise? pic.twitter.com/W57pdic4jf
— Monica Verma (@TrulyMonica) February 12, 2023
Kangana Ranaut also joined the bandwagon to criticise the former AIB member.
“The problem with the majority of right-wing ideologists is that they regard lefties’ decisions as their failures. Please be aware that Tanmay has been selected as a brand match for the specific thing to which you are complaining. The child porn industry is enormous. What are American Democrats doing? Leftists everywhere” said Ranaut.
Independent writer Shefali Vaidya tweeted a few pictures which showed his tweets and news articles related to the AIB Me Too controversy.
Seriously, how can you hire this creepy sociopath and possibly, a closet pedophile Tanmay Bhatt @udaykotak? Is this what you want your bank’s image to be? @KotakBankLtd @kotak811 @udaykotak pic.twitter.com/Wvp6zhBGLY
— Shefali Vaidya. 🇮🇳 (@ShefVaidya) February 10, 2023
In another tweet, she shared Bhat’s old tweets on Lord Ganesh and Hindu rituals. She continued asking questions about Kotak Mahindra bank, over their association with Bhat.
Dear @udaykotak do you agree with Hindu hater Tanmay Bhatt’s description of Shri Ganesh Murti? Do your customers agree? @KotakBankLtd pic.twitter.com/WG0qxtDTm2
— Shefali Vaidya. 🇮🇳 (@ShefVaidya) February 11, 2023
If you are a Ganesh Bhakt and a customer of @KotakBankLtd, do send emails to the senior management including @udaykotak asking them WHY are they hiring this Hindu-hater scum Tanmay Bhatt who has ‘joked’ about r@ping babies and who had enabled sexual harassment in the past. pic.twitter.com/Ce6pWtxkIH
— Shefali Vaidya. 🇮🇳 (@ShefVaidya) February 11, 2023
Why outrage only against @thetanmay decade old tweets? When will Hindus show thier frustration for this? #kotakbank #tanmaybhat pic.twitter.com/U7cOF7KxVy
— ครђฬเภ (@speeler21) February 14, 2023
Following the uproar online, the Kotak Mahindra Bank released an online statement saying that they do not endorse any statements made by the comedian. They also announced the withdrawal of the campaign in the same statement.
We, at Kotak Mahindra Bank Ltd. do not support or endorse the views of actors made in their personal capacity that harm or offend any individual or group. We have withdrawn the campaign.
— Kotak 811 (@kotak811) February 12, 2023
