Lenskart has revised its in-store employee style guide after backlash over an old document that allegedly barred visible Hindu symbols like bindi and tilak while allowing hijabs and turbans. The document went viral on social media, triggering criticism over cultural bias and selective religious accommodation in workplace policies.

Lenskart has revised its in-store employee style guide following widespread outrage over an outdated internal document from February that reportedly banned visible Hindu symbols such as bindi, tilak, and kalawa while permitting hijabs and turbans.

The controversy erupted when the old document circulated widely on social media, sparking accusations of cultural insensitivity and selective religious accommodation. The debate on cultural sensitivity in corporate workplaces continues.

In response, Lenskart’s CEO Peyush Bansal described the February document as an internal training error that had already been withdrawn. The company has now publicly released a new standardised Style Guide for its 2,400+ stores, explicitly welcoming cultural and religious symbols.

In an official statement on X, the company said, “We have heard you. Clearly and openly… These guidelines explicitly and unambiguously welcome every symbol of faith and culture our team members carry - bindi, tilak, sindoor, kalawa, mangalsutra, kada, hijab, turban, and more. Not as exceptions. As who we are.”