Hema Malini dissociates herself from Kent’s ‘classist’ ad against maids, company chairman issues public apology

BJP MP Hema Malini has dissociated herself from the controversial ad placed by Kent RO Systems after Twitterati exploded in anger, accusing the company of being classist. The controversy was triggered by Kent’s ad promoting its new product, an the atta maker.

While promoting the product, the company had sought to remind its potential customers, “Are you allowing your maid to knead atta dough by hand? Her hands may be infected.” The add left social media users seething as they slammed both the company and its brand ambassador Hema Malini for demeaning housemaids because of their poverty.

Faced with anger, the company issued a public apology. Kent Chairman Mahesh Gupta wrote on Twitter, “Please accept our sincere apologies for having published the Ad of Kent Atta & Bread Maker. It was unintentional but wrongly communicated and it has been withdrawn. We support and respect all sections of society.”

Actress-turned-politician Hema Malini too took to Twitter to issue a public statement as she wrote, “Views expressed by the recent advertisement of Kent Atta by @KentROSystems do not resonate with my values and are inappropriate, The Chairman has already tendered a public apology for the mistake.I hereby wish to put on record that I respect and stand by all sections of society.”

Hema said that the company had withdrawn its controversial ad.

While an overwhelming majority of social media users felt that the Kent ad will increase the discrimination faced by domestic help, there were some who felt that there was nothing wrong in the messaging of the advertisement.