New Delhi, October 17, 2025 – As Indians gear up for Dhanteras, the auspicious day when families flock to jewelry stores to buy gold for good luck, one major brand is facing a storm of backlash. The hashtag #BoycottMalabarGold has exploded on social media, with thousands urging people to skip the Kerala-based Malabar Gold & Diamonds this festive season. What started as a gripe over a marketing choice has snowballed into a full-blown controversy about national pride, free speech, and business ethics.
The trouble kicked off back in early September 2025, when Malabar Gold threw a big opening bash for their new showroom in Birmingham, UK. They teamed up with Alishba Khalid, a popular Pakistani influencer based in London, to promote the event. Khalid, known for her fashion and lifestyle posts, shared videos and photos hyping the brand. But soon, old screenshots from her account resurfaced, showing her calling India’s “Operation Sindoor” – a military strike in May 2025 – a “cowardly act.” That didn’t sit well with many Indians, who saw it as an insult to the armed forces.
Social media lit up almost immediately. Activists and everyday users accused the company of being tone-deaf or worse, anti-national, by paying big bucks to someone who had criticized Indian soldiers. One key voice in this uproar is Vijay Gajera, a Gujarat-based activist and fact-checker. In a tweet that went viral, Gajera called out Malabar for hiring Khalid and suggested it showed where their loyalties lie. He didn’t mince words, saying the brand was prioritizing foreign influencers over Indian sentiments.
Instead of backing down or cutting ties with Khalid, Malabar Gold took a different route. They filed a defamation suit against Gajera in the Bombay High Court, asking for him to be jailed for what they called false and damaging claims. The company argued that the backlash was hurting their reputation and sales. On September 29, 2025, the court stepped in, ordering platforms like Meta, Google, and X to remove posts labeling Malabar as a “Pakistan sympathizer.” Justice Sandeep Marne granted temporary relief, saying the posts were defamatory and needed to come down once flagged by the company.
But that court win seems to have backfired. Rather than quieting the noise, it fueled the fire. On X (formerly Twitter), the boycott hashtag has been trending for days, with posts racking up thousands of likes and shares. Influencers like Shefali Vaidya, Radhika Singh and Deepika Narayan Bhardwaj have jumped in, slamming the brand for targeting a “nationalist Indian” while ignoring the influencer’s past comments. Vaidya pointed out the irony: Hindus, who make up most of their customers during festivals like Diwali, are now being asked to think twice about where they spend their money.
The company’s owner, M.P. Ahammed, a businessman from Kerala and linked to the Indian Union Muslim League (IUML), has stayed mostly quiet. But critics have dug into that too, noting IUML’s history of fielding only Muslim candidates for elections, which some say adds a layer of communal tension to the mix. Malabar Gold, which started in 1993 and now has over 300 stores worldwide, prides itself on ethical sourcing and community work. Yet, this row has put a spotlight on their choices, with some users sharing memes and lists of alternative jewelers like Tanishq or local shops.
As of today, the backlash shows no signs of slowing. Recent posts on X urge people to “wake up” and avoid funding what they call “anti-national betrayal.” One viral image from an Instagram reel shows Khalid’s old post next to boycott calls, warning shoppers ahead of Dhanteras tomorrow. Experts say this could dent sales during the peak gold-buying period, especially in India where emotions run high on national issues.
Malabar Gold hasn’t issued a fresh statement, but in court filings, they’ve admitted to the collaboration while denying any wrongdoing. For now, the ball is in the consumers’ court. Will the boycott stick, or will the festive spirit win out? As one user put it, “Buy gold that shines with pride, not controversy.” With Diwali around the corner, jewelers everywhere are watching closely.
