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The Background: The scandal arose after a supposed internal Lenskart employee style guide leaked online, which seemingly allowed items like hijabs and turbans but forbade bindis, tilaks, and sacred threads. The problem went viral when political commentator Shefali Vaidya highlighted the presumed discrepancy on social media, leaving many in a state of debate and criticism. 

Store Confrontation: BJP Minority Morcha leader Nazia Elahi Khan and co. stormed into a Lenskart store in Mumbai. Andheri applied tilak on staff, bound sacred threads (kalawa) to their wrists, and raised slogans. She approached the floor manager, who was described as Mohsin Khan, with the question, "Is that the reason why Tilak was stopped? And by reason that you are Mohsin Khan? 

The Provocative Slogans: Khan shouted slogans to the praise of Lord Ram and Lord Shiva on the inside of the store and was heard saying, "Sharia lagu karwana hai kya?" She claimed that the company had been selective in appointing a Muslim manager to limit Hindu practices by employees. 

The Warning: Nazia Elahi, despite not being present in the store or in the parking lot at the time, said, "This is a Hindu country." Lenskart will be boycotted, or its outlets will all be closed unless the owner apologizes. In the case of one employee in the store, they had received instructions during training that they were not to wear tilak or sacred thread and married women should not even be allowed to wear a mangalsutra. 

Lenskart Response: Lenskart CEO, Peyush Bansal, responded by saying the document was old-fashioned and not indicative of the current policy. The company has also published an updated in-store style guide that specifically authorizes bindi, tilak, sindoor, kalawa, mangalsutra, kada, hijab, and turban—and has apologized that this has created confusion.