Lenskart founder Peyush Bansal said in a statement on X on Wednesday that the company does not restrict employees from wearing religious symbols, after a purported internal grooming policy triggered backlash on social media.
The controversy surfaced after a screenshot of an alleged grooming policy went viral. It suggested restrictions on religious expressions such as bindi, tilak and burkha, and also outlined guidelines for turbans, hijabs, tattoos and accessories.
Bansal said the circulating document was inaccurate and does not reflect the company's present guidelines. He added that the policy has no restrictions on any form of religious expression, including bindi and tilak, and that the company continues to review its guidelines regularly.
He also said the grooming policy has evolved over the years and that outdated versions do not represent the company today, while acknowledging lapses in language that are being addressed.
The clarification follows criticism on social media, with some users calling for a boycott of the brand over concerns around religious expression at the workplace.
Bansal said the company will continue to learn and improve, adding that employees across the country wear their faith and culture proudly at its stores.