A Vishu promotional poster released by Meher Mandi & Grills has sparked widespread outrage for depicting Lord Krishna alongside a non-vegetarian dish.
The poster, intended as a festive greeting for Vishu, featured an image of a young Lord Krishna seated in front of a plate of chicken kuzhimandi. The image went viral on social media and was widely criticised as a “calculated attempt” to hurt religious sentiments.
Social media users and several Hindu organisations condemned the poster, noting that Lord Krishna is traditionally associated with vegetarian offerings.
Following the backlash, the restaurant management issued a public apology and removed the controversial content. They stated that the poster had been created by a third-party designer and was published without adequate internal review.
A managing partner, Shameer, said in a video message that the incident was a “mistake” and that there was no intention to offend any community. However, many social media users questioned this explanation, arguing that branding and promotional content require approval from the management.
Some users expressed strong criticism online, with one questioning the lack of cultural sensitivity, while another alleged that the concept behind the poster could not have been accidental.
Meanwhile, Kerala Police took two managing partners of the restaurant, Arshad and Shamnas, into custody. They have been booked under Section 192 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) for wantonly giving provocation with intent to cause a riot.
The Vishva Hindu Parishad has rejected the restaurant’s explanation and called for a boycott.