Lenskart ‘hijab, tilak, bindi’ row: Which style guide went viral, what Peyush Bansal admitted - Complete picture

Eyewear retailer Lenskart faced immense backlash on social media after its alleged grooming policy for employees at its stores. A screenshot of the policy, which went viral on social media, suggested restrictions on attire and accessories with religious symbols. 

Which style guide/Lenskart document triggered controversy?

These items included bindi, tilak, burqa, turban, and ceremonial threads such as kalawa. On the hijab, it stated, "If you wear a hijab, it should be black in colour. Videos of hijab tutorial would be circulated for ease." 

It added, "The hijab should be of medium chest coverage and should not cover the logo." It further said that wearing a burqa in the store is not allowed. 

What founder Peyush Bansal accepted?

Responding to the criticism, Lenskart CEO Peyush Bansal has clarified that a viral document claiming the company restricts religious symbols such as bindi and tilak is an outdated internal training document and not an official HR policy.

Bansal wrote on X, "Our policy has no restrictions on any form of religious expression, including bindi and tilak, and we continue to review our guidelines regularly. Our grooming policy has evolved over the years and outdated versions do not represent who we are today. We apologize for the confusion and concern this situation has caused."

Bansal confirmed the document contained an "incorrect line" that was removed on February 17 — before the issue became public — after it was flagged internally.

Taking personal responsibility, Bansal said the lapse was his to own as founder and CEO, and announced stricter review processes for all internal training materials. He was unequivocal that Lenskart does not and will never restrict respectful religious expression.

"Lenskart was built in Bharat, by Indians, for Indians," he wrote, adding that thousands of employees across the country express their faith and culture proudly at work every day.

Soon after his comments, users pointed out that the document being shared was from February and not an outdated version as claimed by Bansal. 

After this, he clarified that the document contained an incorrect line about bindi and tilak that shouldn't have been there in the first place. 

"When we discovered this on February 17, well before this became a public conversation, we immediately removed it. But I should have caught this earlier. As Founder and CEO, the responsibility for such lapses is mine. I have asked my team to bring all such materials under stricter review, and I will personally ensure this is addressed going forward. We are also looking into how this found its way into our training content."

He also thanked netizens for raising the issue, saying, "Your voice helps us improve and stay true to what we stand for."

What does updated style guide say vs older one

Based on media reports, the updated style guide removed previous restrictions on Hindu religious symbols like bindis and tilaks. Bansal stated that the current policy "has no restrictions on any form of religious expression," mentioning that employees are free to wear bindis, tilaks, and other religious symbols. 

He further said that the "incorrect" language regarding religious symbols that was present in the previous, leaked version has been removed.

The company's updated stance states that "every symbol and every tradition our people carry is a part of who we are as a company."