Hindus angered by Aussie brewery label

A brewery in Australia has caused outrage in the Hindu community after putting Lord Ganesh and Goddess Lakshmi on bottles of its alcoholic ginger beer.

The president of the Universal Society of Hindus (USH) has called for the labels to be removed, while the Indian Australian Association has threatened legal action.

Rajan Zed, the USH president, told Fairfax Media: “Lord Ganesh and Goddess Lakshmi are highly revered in Hinduism and they were meant to be worshipped in temples or home shrines and not to be used in selling beer for mercantile greed. Many people in India are upset too.”

Sydney-based Brookvale Brewery, which released the alcoholic ginger beer, said that it would reconsider the design of the labels adding that it had not intended to cause offence.

A spokesman said: “The aim was to create a great-tasting drink representing the flair, feel and colours from the Asian continent, the primary source of ginger.

“With recent feedback brought to our attention, we will be looking at design options for our bottles.”

Dr Yadu Singh of the Indian Australian Association added: “People are very offended with the imagery which they have used without realising the significance of these particular two deities .

“They don’t understand. They are very insensitive about the feelings of our religion.”