Hyundai Motor : Company Condemns Post By Distributor in Pakistan Announcing Solidarity With Kashmir

Korean auto major Hyundai Motor Company Tuesday unequivocally condemned a post by an independent distributor in Pakistan on its official Twitter and Facebook handles, announcing “solidarity with Kashmir”.

This is the second statement issued by the company amid mounting pressure on social media in India. “As a business policy, Hyundai Motor Company does not comment on political or religious issues in any specific region. Therefore, it is clearly against Hyundai Motor’s policy that the independently owned distributor in Pakistan made unauthorised Kashmir-related social media posts from their own accounts”, HMC said.

“Once the situation was brought to our attention, we made the distributor acutely aware of the inappropriateness of the action. We have since taken measures to ensure the distributor, which misused the Hyundai brand identity, has removed the social media posts and we have put in place processes to prevent a further recurrence”, the statement added.

HMC reiterated that the Indian subsidiary – Hyundai Motor India – is not associated with the distributor in Pakistan. HMC said it “strongly rejects” the distributor’s unauthorised non-business related social media activity.

Hyundai Motor Company said it deeply regrets “any offended caused to the people of India by this unofficial social media activity”.

Separately, auto retailers body Federation of Automobile Dealers’ Association (FADA) Sunday said it has written to Hyundai India and Kia India to clear their stand on the issue. FADA has also urged the Ministry of Heavy Industries & SIAM India to seek clarifications on the issue.

“We strictly condemn the act of Hyundai Pakistan and Kia Pakistan for the tweets on Kashmir. We remain committed to our motherland and have written to both the companies on India to clear their stand on the same”, FADA said in a statement, adding, “We also urge the Ministry of Heavy Industries & SIAM India to seek clarifications.”

Hyundai Motor India, the country’s second largest car maker, has come under massive crossfire on social media after the car maker’s Pakistan arm released posts on its official Twitter and Facebook handles, announcing “solidarity with Kashmir”. Social media users in India on Sunday called for mass boycotts or cancelling bookings of the car maker.

Several verified handles of BJP and VHP ministers also called for boycotts of Hyundai India through tweets on Sunday, adding taglines such as ‘Kashmir Hamara Hi Rahega’ (Kashmir will remain ours).

Let us remember the sacrifices of our Kashmiri brothers and stand in support as they struggle for freedom,” the posts by Hyundai Pakistan declared on Saturday. The same have now been deleted.

Social media users have been tagging both Hyundai India and the Korean company’s global twitter handle, along with the car maker’s Pakistan handle.

A spokesperson for Hyundai India Sunday said it had “zero tolerance” to such communication. “The unsolicited social media post linking Hyundai Motor India is offending our unparalleled commitment and service. India is second home to the Hyundai brand and we have zero tolerance policy towards insensitive communication and we strongly condemn any such view,” the spokesperson said in a revert to ET.

The posts by Hyundai Pakistan noted February 5 as Kashmir Solidarity Day. Some social media users in India tweeted that they would “discourage relatives from buying a Hyundai car for buying at upcoming Gudhi Padwa” – a festival considered auspicious for buying. This year, Gudhi Padwa falls in April.

Hyundai Motor India had a market share of 16.4%, as on calendar year 2021. The company sells a range of popular models in the local market – from SUV Creta to sedan Verna and hatches Santro, i10 and i20. The car maker’s domestic sales last year stood at 505,033 units, which is an increase of 19.2% over 423,642 units recorded in the year-ago period. The company’s exports rose 31.8% to 130,380 units in 2021.

Late last year, ethnic apparel brand Fabindia, skin-care brand Fem and Ceat Tyres were among the prominent names that came in for huge social media backlash after they released posts involving either religion, Indian festivals or culture. Fabindia and Fem subsequently withdrew their ads and issued apologies. Previously, jewellery maker Tanishq was mired in a similar controversy when it released an ad involving an interfaith ceremony.