The National Commission for Scheduled Castes (NCSC) has now issued a notice to Zomato founder and CEO Deepinder Goyal over an “inhuman” and casteist advertisement that featured a Dalit character from the film Lagaan being used as a table, lamp, watering can, etc. While the food-delivery platform withdrew its advertisement within days after facing strong backlash from citizens, the commission said it had taken suo motu cognisance of the matter and commenced its own inquiries. The NCSC has also sent copies of the notice to the Commissioner, Delhi Police, and the Grievance Redressal Officer of YouTube India, saying that they launch their own investigations into this episode and submit action taken reports as soon as possible. 

Zomato launched the advertisement as a special feature for World Environment Day on June 5. In the advertisement, actor Aditya Lakhia is shown reprising his role as the Dalit character ‘Kachra’ in Lagaan. He is shown being used as a lamp, paper, paperweight, watering can, and different types of jackets, with the text below detailing how much ‘kachra’ was recycled to make each of these items.  According to the notice, the NCSC has asked the Delhi Police if any FIR had been registered in the matter and whether provisions of the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act had been invoked in the FIR. Similarly, the commission has also asked YouTube India where the advertisement was being streamed before it was taken down, to look into how it was allowed on the platform and what action had been taken for it. 

(This story has not been edited by News Mania staff and is published from a Media Release)