Archive · 7 Sep 2026
Chennai Metro Girlfriend-FD Advertisement Sparks Tamil Nadu Row
A financial society put an advertisement inside a Chennai Metro train.
The ad compared girlfriends with fixed deposits.
It said girlfriends might give zero interest, while the society’s fixed deposit offered 14.40 percent.
The ad was meant to attract people to the society’s savings schemes.
DMK MP Thamizachi Thangapandian objected to the wording.
She said it was disrespectful to women.
She also questioned why the metro authorities allowed the poster.
This caused a political controversy in Tamil Nadu.
A cooperative society advertisement inside a Chennai Metro coach compared girlfriends’ interest with fixed-deposit returns.
The poster said, “Girlfriend may give 0% interest, but our FD gives 14.40%.”
The advertisement promoted fixed-deposit schemes offered by the cooperative credit society THECOS.
DMK MP Thamizachi Thangapandian criticized the message as degrading women and portraying them as objects.
Thangapandian questioned Chennai Metro authorities over allowing the advertisement in public transport.
- Who
- THECOS, Chennai Metro authorities, and DMK MP Thamizachi Thangapandian are involved.
- What
- An advertisement comparing girlfriends with fixed-deposit returns sparked controversy.
- Where
- Inside a Chennai Metro coach in Tamil Nadu.
- Why
- THECOS used the poster to promote fixed-deposit schemes, while Thamizachi Thangapandian criticized its portrayal of women.
Criticism of the Advertisement
Promotional Purpose
Messaging and women’s portrayal
Criticism of the Advertisement
Thamizachi Thangapandian said the comparison was highly problematic, disrespectful to women, and reduced them to objects.
Promotional Purpose
THECOS’s stated purpose was to promote its fixed-deposit schemes by highlighting their 14.40% interest rate.
Display in public transport
Criticism of the Advertisement
Thangapandian questioned Chennai Metro authorities for permitting the advertisement inside a public-transport system.
Promotional Purpose
The advertisement was displayed inside a Chennai Metro coach, indicating that it had been placed there as a permitted promotional message, although the article does not provide the authorities’ response.
- Advertiser
- THECOS, a cooperative credit society
- Advertised product
- Fixed-deposit schemes
- Promised return
- 14.40% interest
- Advertisement location
- Inside a Chennai Metro coach
- Political critic
- DMK MP Thamizachi Thangapandian
- Main criticism
- The message was described as degrading women and portraying them as objects