An official tweet from Hyundai Pakistan has brought India’s second-largest carmaker under crossfire. The controversy was caused by a post that said “solidarity with Kashmir” on Hyundai Pakistan’s Twitter and Facebook accounts.
Following the post, many expressed their feelings, even calling for boycotting Hyundai’s products in India. Several ministers and politicians have also called for a boycott following the posts, while many industry experts expressed their opinion saying, “Brands should steer clear of sensitive political or cultural issues.”
The posts by Hyundai Pakistan read, “Let us remember the sacrifices of our Kashmiri brothers and stand in support as they struggle for freedom.” Since the posts were made, some were deleted, while Hyundai India’s Twitter is now locked.
Following the event, Hyundai India issued an official statement saying, “Hyundai Motor India has been committed to the Indian market for more than 25 years now, and we stand firmly for our strong ethos of respecting nationalism. The unsolicited social media post linking Hyundai Motor India is offending our unparalleled commitment and service to this great country. India is a second home to the Hyundai brand, and we have a zero-tolerance policy towards insensitive communication, and we strongly condemn any such view,”
In India, Hyundai is a wholly-owned subsidiary of the South Korean headquartered Hyundai Motor Company. In Pakistan, Hyundai is a joint venture between Hyundai Motor Company and Nishat Mills, which has the authorisation to assemble Hyundai vehicles for the Pakistan market.
