Mumbai, May 26 Homegrown liquor company Radico Khaitan Ltd saw its share closing in the red on Monday, after it drew a mega controversy for hurting religious sentiments via offering a new whisky brand titled ‘Trikal,’ that refers to the Hindu deity Shiva.
Shares of Radico Khaitan, known for brands such as 8PM, Magic Moments, Royal Ranthambore, Rampur Single Malt, After Dark, Morpheus, Contessa and Jaisalmer, fell Rs 12.60 (0.51 per cent) to close at Rs 2,440.00 — after witnessing an intra-day rise which subsided as the controversy erupted over its ‘Trikal’ Indian single malt.
Radico Khaitan's 52-week low has been Rs 1,429.85 per share, with its 52-week high at Rs 2,665.00 per share.
The whisky is priced between Rs 3,500 and Rs 4,500, and debuts in key markets including Uttar Pradesh, Haryana and Maharashtra, with plans for a wider national and global rollout in the coming months. Radico’s Managing Director Abhishek Khaitan has positioned its launch as a milestone in the company’s premiumisation journey.
However, religious gurus, Sanatan Dharam organisations and politicians on Monday lashed out at the company for naming its product as ‘Trikal’, and demanding immediate withdrawal of the product.
The whisky bottle with a teal label also carries a line-drawn figure of a face with closed eyes and a circle on the forehead – allegedly similar to Lord Shiva’s third eye.
Mahant Raju Das Maharaj of Ayodhya Dham said, "I appeal to the owners of Radico Khaitan, please understand, recognise and respect Sanatan Dharma. India is a country rooted in Sanatan culture, where every particle reflects its vastness. Every individual holds deep faith, devotion and reverence for Sanatan..."
Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) National Spokesperson Vinod Bansal said, "It is very unfortunate that not only in our country but in many parts of the world, images of Hindu deities, their symbols and the centres of our faith are being displayed disrespectfully, sometimes on slippers, sometimes on shoes, sometimes on bikinis and sometimes on clothing. This is extremely condemnable, shameful and entirely disrespectful.”
BJP MP Praveen Khandelwal said, "It is a matter of serious concern that companies adopt our religious names for their promotions and personal gain.” Seeking withdrawal of such products or their renaming, the MP said, “I demand that these companies immediately change such names. Any name connected to our culture and heritage deserves respect, and using it in a disrespectful manner is deeply embarrassing for all of us."
Mahamandleshwar Swami Shaileshanand Giri Maharaj also decried the company’s use of a controversial name to gain publicity.
Seeking immediate check on using such religiously sensitive terms for publicity, he said, “Today they are talking about 'Trikal'; tomorrow it might be about 'Tridev'. They must understand that this is not appropriate. For this, they need to set their own moral standards and adopt ethical values."
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