(MENAFN- Live Mint) As Indians throng markets to buy gold and silver on the auspicious occasion of Dhanteras on Saturday, Kerala-based jewellery giant Malabar Gold and Diamonds, owned by MP Shamlal Ahamed, is facing widespread calls for a boycott on social media.

Why? Because of the jeweller's promotional collaboration with a London-based Pakistani Instagram influencer who had mocked India's Operation Sindoor.

The controversy has fueled a widespread #BoycottMalabarGold campaign on Dhanteras, with reduced footfall at the chain's stores.

Also Read | Dhanteras 2025: From gold to broom, what's lucky to buy and what to skip Here's what happened:

The controversy first began in September when Malabar Gold collaborated with Pakistani influencer Alishba Khalid, who had mocked Op Sindoor as a“cowardly act.”

Film bodies and Indians in general had called for a blanket ban on all Pakistani artists and technicians ever since tensions between India and Pakistan escalated following the Pulwama attack in Jammu and Kashmir that claimed the lives of 26 civilians.

Soon, the campaign gained traction on social media with netizens calling out the jewellery brand for partnering with Alishba during the inauguration of their London showroom. Multiple social media posts allegedly called Malabar Gold a“sympathiser of Pakistan”.

Also Read | Diljit Dosanjh breaks silence on Sardaar Ji 3 controversy over Hania Aamir Malabar Gold moves court

After random netizens linked the jeweller to Pakistan, Malabar Gold moved the Bombay High Court against posts and materials uploaded on social media platforms, including Facebook, Instagram, and Google.

According to news agency PTI, in the plea, Malabar Gold said that the posts were damaging their sales, particularly during the Diwali festive season. They also submitted a list of 442 URLs containing allegedly defamatory content and sought an injunction to prevent further publication of such content.

Bombay HC orders deletion of defamatory posts

The Bombay High Court acted on the plea and ordered the deletion of social media posts that trolled the brand for engaging a Pakistani-origin influencer in the UK.

In its order, a bench of Justice Sandeep Marne said that“a case was made out for the grant of an ad-interim injunction” and directed the removal of posts calling the jewellery brand a“sympathiser of Pakistan.”

The court also instructed social media platforms not to allow the publication of any further defamatory content against the company related to Khalid's appointment.

Also Read | 'Boycott Pepsi, KFC and...': Ramdev on how to how to hit back at US tariffs 'Mere utilisation of the services': Malabar Gold issues clarification

In the petition, Malabar Gold stated that they had planned to open a showroom in Birmingham, UK, and had engaged JAB Studios to secure influencers for promotional purposes. One of those influencers was Alishba Khalid, a UK-based Pakistani national.

The company clarified that Alishba had been engaged to promote the showroom well before the Pahalgam attack in April and that it was not aware of her Pakistani origin at the time.

Malabar Gold said her services had been discontinued and argued that“mere utilisation of the services of a UK-based social media influencer at some point cannot be a reason for spreading defamatory content.”

Hindu nationalist campaign takes to streets to protest Malabar Gold

A viral Hindu nationalist campaign is urging a festive-season boycott of Malabar Gold, accusing the Kerala-based jeweller of indirectly funding Pakistan through collaborations with Pakistani influencers.

The boycott call spilled into street protests in cities like Kolkata, with diverse user support ranging from calls for judicial reform to satirical memes.

The controversy was sparked by Hindu activist Vijay Patel. He is now claiming that his X account was withheld in India following the court order.“My account is withheld in India by order of the Indian court for supporting the Indian Army! Happy Dhanteras,” he said.

MENAFN18102025007365015876ID1110214330