Lenskart CEO admits ‘outdated’ style guide flagged tilak/bindi but permitted hijab: What Peyush Bansal said and what the Feb 2026 document reveals

Lenskart founder and CEO Peyush Bansal has finally broken his silence on the firestorm surrounding a viral company document that discriminated against Hindu religious symbols. The controversy, which has been trending across social media, centres on a ‘style guide’ that prohibited the use of bindis and tilaks while explicitly permitting the hijab. As the backlash intensified, Peyush Bansal took to X on Wednesday night, 15th April to clear the air. He initially wrote, “Hi, all. I’ve been seeing an inaccurate policy document going viral about Lenskart. I want to speak directly that this document does not reflect our present guidelines. Our policy has no restrictions on any form of religious expression, including bindi and tilak… outdated versions do not represent who we are today.” Hi, all. I’ve been seeing an inaccurate policy document going viral about Lenskart.I want to speak directly that this document does not reflect our present guidelines.Our policy has no restrictions on any form of religious expression, including bindi and tilak, and we…— Peyush Bansal (@peyushbansal) April 15, 2026 However, his attempt to dismiss the document as “inaccurate” was quickly challenged with a Community Note on X, which served as a digital reality check. The note clarified that the Lenskart Style Guide (v1.1/11) was dated February 2, 2026, and clearly bore company branding. This directly challenged the claim that the document was “outdated” or “inaccurate,” as it was essentially current. Recognising the mounting pressure, Bansal issued a follow-up statement, shifting his stance from calling it “inaccurate” to admitting it was a genuine, albeit “incorrect,” training document: “The document currently circulating is an outdated internal training document. It is not an HR policy. That said, it contained an incorrect line about bindi/tilak that should never have been written and does not reflect our values… When we discovered this on February 17, well before this became a public conversation, we immediately removed it.” I have listened to your concerns and I understand your sentiment around this. I want to add more context to my earlier post.The document currently circulating is an outdated internal training document. It is not an HR policy.That said, it contained an incorrect line about…— Peyush Bansal (@peyushbansal) April 16, 2026 He concluded by taking personal responsibility: “As Founder and CEO, I take responsibility for such mistakes. Lenskart does not, and never will, prohibit any form of respectful religious expression.” Nevertheless, Bansal’s attempt to “manage” the situation by labeling the document “inaccurate” only added fuel to the fire, as a community note later showed that the document was not “inaccurate” as Bansal’s subsequent tweets confirmed. The Lenskart saga is yet another example, after the Nashik TCS ‘corporate jihad’ controversy, of an ecosystem that seems increasingly inclined to accommodate the Muslim community while marginalising traditional expressions of faith in a Hindu-majority country. The disparity in treatment, where one religious garment is labeled a right and another a “grooming violation”, has left a bitter taste in the mouths of consumers. Inside the leaked “Lenskart Style Guide” The controversy exploded when a 23-page document titled “Lenskart Staff Uniform and Grooming Guide“ surfaced online. Issued by the Lenskart Academy, the guide was designed to provide “cleanliness and well-groomed” rules for all store employees. However, the details on page 7,10 and 11 triggered immediate outrage. Page 11 of the Style Guide Page 7 of the document states that Lenskart employees are prohibited from wearing sacred threads (kalava) and bindis (bindis), while they may wear hijabs. It states, “If you wear a hijab/turban, it must be black. The hijab should cover moderately up to the chest. Rings with colored stones (such as black, blue, green, red, etc.) are not permitted. Bindis and clutches are also prohibited. Religious threads or wristbands must also be removed.” This document also specifies what types of things workers should and should not wear, such as shoes, clothing, watches, and other items. Another part of this document is controversial. On page 10, it also comments on the use of vermilion. It states that if someone applies vermilion, they should apply it sparingly and should not spread it across the forehead. Page 10 of the Style Guide Unanswered questions and the logic of bias Despite the apology, the matter remains deeply complicated. If the document was indeed “removed” on February 17th, it begs the question: why was a version dated February 2026 still being circulated to staff?  Furthermore, the issue of transparency remains; if the policy was updated, Lenskart has yet to make the “correct” version public to restore consumer trust. The core of the frustration lies in the perceived religious asymmetry. Lenskart is a leading Indian brand, founded by a Hindu, operating in a country where the vast majority of its employees and customers are Hindu. While safety regulations in technical areas like labs might necessitate the removal of loose threads (kalava) or jewelry, there is no logical reason why a bindi or a tilak would interfere with selling eyewear at a retail store, especially when Muslim religious attire was acceptable. The irony is hard to ignore: in an effort to appear “inclusive,” the brand seemingly excluded the very symbols that represent the cultural fabric of its primary consumer base. While Bansal claims they simply “forgot to remove” the offending lines, the existence of such a policy in the first place suggests a deep-seated bias that an apology alone may not fix.