International brands have more often than not gotten onto the bad side of religion for their usage of religious symbols. All over the world, religion remains a sensitive topic and religious sentiments remain the most easily hurt. Two American online retailers have now landed themselves in trouble selling footwear with the Om symbol and beer bottles that have Ganesha on them. Talk about creativity gone awry!
Two separate complaints have been filed against the portals at the Prashant Vihar police station, by animal rights activist and commissioner at Bharat Scouts & Guides Naresh Kadyan . The first complaint was made against a website for selling shoes with Om symbol while another website was called out in a different complaint for using Ganesha photo on beer bottles.
The website by the name of yeswevibe.com claims the shoes are handmade and it also promises delivery within two- three days in the US and two- three weeks globally. The other website ww.lostcoast.com is an award-wining brewery headquartered in California. As per reports, officials have been asked to take necessary action at the earliest. Kadyan has also written a letter to the Ministry of External Affairs demanding that the products be taken off sale and an FIR be registered against the defaulters.
This incident comes close on the heels of Sushma Swaraj’s warning to Amazon asking them to apologise for selling doormats with Tricolour printed on it. Soon after the incident, #BoycottAmazon trend started and several outraged against the firm.
It’s not surprising that these two online retailers have been taken down for such use of religious symbols and remains to be seen what penalty they have called for.
