Author: Sudhir Kumar
Publication: Samaylive.com
Date: July 5, 2009
URL: http://www.samaylive.com/news/company-removes-lord-ganeshas-image-from-beer-bottle-apologises/637789.html
The American beer company, which published
Lord Ganesha image on label of beer bottle, has apologised, removing image
of Lord Ganesha from the label of beer bottle and Internet.
Lost Coast Brewery, an American Beer Company,
published Lord Ganesha's image on the label of 'Indica India Pale Ale' brand.
The move of the company was opposed by the Hindu Sangatanas across the world.
On Friday, the issue was raised in the Lok Sabha also.
Raising the issue in Lok Sabha, Shiv Sena
MP Dudhgaonkar Rao Ganesh Rao Nagarao said that the company's move has hurt
religious sentiments of crores of Hindus across the globe and the Government
should take action against the American company.
Owing to stringent protests, the company has
removed the image of Lord Ganesha from the beer bottle and its website and
extended apology.
Media Incharge of the Vishwa Hindu Parishad
Vinod Bansal said that apologising through an email, general manager and marketing
director of the company wrote, "we were not aware that the image has
been published on the label of the bottle is of the God worshiped by Hindus.
We apologize for hurting Hindu religious sentiments."
He said that he realised the seriousness of
the issue only after complaints from across the globe poured in. For it, our
website management, who didn't take the issue seriously, is responsible upto
an extent, he said.
It is worth mentioning that publishing of
Lord Ganesha image on the label of Beer bottle was criticized across the world.
While, general secretary of Vishwa Hindu Parishad's Praveen Togadia through
VHP's unit in America warned for legal action against the company, Braj Dheer,
a student of Law at Golden Gate University, America, sought a compensation
of one billion dollar by filing a case against the company.
The label of one of the brands of the company
displayed Lord Ganesha carrying a bottle of beer in his one of the four Hands
and holding beer bottle in his Trunk.
