Amid backlash, Zomato withdraws Hrithik Roshan-starrer 'Mahakal' advt

Amid a row online food delivery firm Zomato has withdrawn the advertisement featuring actor Hrithik Roshan and apologised while clarifying that the Mahakal reference was for a restaurant and it didnt mean the Ujjainbased templeTwo priests of the famous Mahakaleshwar temple in Madhya Pradesh had objected to the advertisement claiming that it offended Hindu sentiments and demanded its withdrawalMadhya Pradesh Home Minister Narottam Mishra had issued directives to the police to look into the controversyIn the advertisement Roshan says he felt like having a thali food platter in Ujjain so he ordered it from MahakalThe Hrithik Roshan starrer ad that ran in specific pincodes of Ujjain referenced to thalis at Mahakal Restaurant and not the revered Shree Mahakaleshwar temple Mahakal Restaurant is one of our highordervolume restaurant partners in Ujjain and thali is a recommended item on its menu Zomato said in a statement issued on its Twitter handleAlso Read Zomato rider crushed to the death on DelhiFaridabad highwayThe food delivery firm said that the video is part of the panIndia campaign for which Mahakal Restaurant simplified as Mahakal was chosen in UjjainWe deeply respect the sentiments of the people of Ujjain and the ad in question is no longer running We offer our sincerest apologies for the intent here was never to hurt anyones beliefs and sentiments Zomato addedEarlier in the day Home Minister Mishra told reporters that he had directed the police to look into the matterPrima facie the advertisement video being circulated on social media seems morphed I have told Ujjains Superintendent of Police to look into the reality of the video and report to me so that action can be initiated against the guilty the home minister saidA day earlier two priests of the Mahakaleshwar temple had demanded that Zomato withdraw the advertisement claiming that it offends Hindu sentimentsThe priests Mahesh and Ashish had also demanded an apology from the online food delivery firmDevotees are served prasad on a thali and the advertisement hurts the feelings of Hindus they claimedThe priests said they had also approached Ujjain Collector Ashish Singh who is the chairman of the Mahakal temple trust and sought action against the company so that no one mocks the Hindu religion againCollector Singh on Saturday termed the advertisement as misleading saying the temple offers free meals as prasad and it is not soldThe Mahakaleshwar or Mahakal temple dedicated to Lord Shiva is one of the 12 Jyotirlingas in the country and attracts a large number of devoteesThis story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed agencies Midday accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability trustworthiness reliability and data of the text Midday managementmiddaycom reserves the sole right to alter delete or remove without notice the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever