Marketing manager resigns after hate campaign over 'distorted' image of Lulu Mall in Kerala

A campaign of hate directed towards a Muslim-owned shopping center in Kochi has resulted in the resignation of its marketing manager, who has appealed against "propagating hatred." The campaign was supported by an apparently distorted image suggesting that the mall hoisted a larger Pakistani flag than India's during its World Cup promotion.

The flags of all ten participating countries were suspended from the ceiling of Kochi's Lulu Mall in an attempt to capitalize on the global excitement surrounding the World Cup. It is now alleged that all of the flags were the same size in photos that the mall and a few social media users posted.

On Tuesday, though, a photo that appeared to have been taken from an angle that made the Pakistani flag appear larger than the others started making the rounds on social media. It was the beginning of a campaign aimed at the state of Kerala, the Muslim population, and the mall.

Pratheesh Vishwanath, a well-known Hindutva activist and the founder of the Hindu Seva Kendra, was among the first to target the mall.

"Regardless of whether someone is a multibillionaire or a puncherwala, their primary concern is their antiquated beliefs!" This Picture is from M.A. Yusuff Ali's Lulu Mall in Kochi, Kerala. It's important to note how they are abusing the Indian Flag (sic)," Vishwanath wrote on X on Tuesday, sharing the warped picture.

Ali, the mall's owner, is a Malayali billionaire who resides in Abu Dhabi.

Anirudha DD, a social media user, also shared the picture and left a remark on X: "It's in Kerala, not Islamabad or Lahore!"

The image used to incite hatred.
The image used to incite hatred.
retrieved from The Telegraph
Athira Nampiathiri, the mall's marketing manager, resigned as a result of the issue, despite the company's assertion that she was not asked to.

On Thursday, Athira shared a heartfelt statement on Linkedin, highlighting the destructive power of hatred and lies on lives and careers.

She added, "It pains me to find myself not working one day, all because of baseless falsehoods and social media sensationalism, after dedicating a whole decade to a company with an unwavering passion."

Using flags as décor, what started out as a straightforward show of support for sportsmanship turned into a terrifying distortion that none of us could have imagined.

"We are steadfast, patriotic Indians who have an unmatched level of dedication to our businesses. But the heedless gossip and uncorroborated stories circulating on social media have the power to destroy a person's reputation and means of subsistence.

As much as a business cherishes its integrity and reputation, I am a citizen of this country and will do all it takes to protect its honor. I love my country very much. Calling out anything like this as fake news or publishing something like this won't improve my reputation, my honesty, or the years of hard work and accomplishments I put into my profession.

"I beg you all to kindly refrain from inciting hatred and refrain from taking part in actions that could ruin people's lives and livelihoods. In this digital age, let us unite to defend justice and the truth. My loss is a loss, but please don't allow this hate hurt anyone else.

According to The Telegraph on Friday, Athira "resigned on Wednesday although she was not asked to," according to N.B. Swaraj, the Lulu Group's India communications head.

According to Swaraj, the flags were only flown for a single day. "They were taken down later that evening, having mostly been on show during India's opening game on October 8. However, by that point, these warped photos had already been taken," he remarked.

A few persons offering namaz on the property in July 2022 caused commotion at the Lulu Mall in Lucknow. It is against the law in Uttar Pradesh to practice religion in public without permission.

After being detained, the suspects were eventually freed on bond. Later on, a number of people from a Hindu right-wing group protested at the mall against the namaz incident.