US Religion

Perennial hindu whnger Rajan Zed has urged Belgium based The Musketeers Brewery to apologize and withdraw image of Lord Ganesh from its Jack's Precious IPA beer label, calling it highly inappropriate.

Lord Ganesh's image is shown on Jack's Precious IPA beer label carrying chef knife in one hand and sausage like object on the other, and brewery's trade mark symbol on his head; a product of The Musketeers Brewery.

Zed said that inappropriate usage of Hindu deities or concepts or symbols for commercial or other agenda was not okay as it hurt the devotees. Zed, who is president of Universal Society of Hinduism, indicated that Lord Ganesh was highly revered in Hinduism and he was meant to be worshipped in temples or home shrines and not to be used in selling beer for mercantile greed. Moreover, linking Lord Ganesh with an alcoholic beverage was very disrespectful, Zed added.

The professional complainer, Rajan Zed sets out a rather extensive complaint about Amazon, He writes on his website:

Despite removing over 60 doormats carrying images of Hindu deities last month after Hindus protested, world's largest online retailer Amazon.com continues to sell products with images of Hindu deities which upset Hindus find highly inappropriate.

Images of various Hindu deities--Shiva, Vishnu, Lakshmi, Ganesha, Kali, Hanuman--were seen on Mens Briefs, Legging Tights, Bedspread/Bedcover, Cigarette Case, Waist Pants and Women's Capris; when searched on its website on July 29.

Hindu statesman Rajan Zed, in a statement in Nevada today, urged Amazon.com and its President Jeffrey P. Bezos to show some maturity, immediately withdraw the objectionable products and offer formal apology.

Zed, who is President of Universal Society of Hinduism, indicated that it was shocking to visualize that a company like Amazon.com, for its mercantile greed, would apparently sell anything without caring for the feelings of a considerable segment of world's population.

Rajan Zed further said that Hindus were for free artistic expression and speech as much as anybody else if not more...BUT...faith was something sacred and attempts at trivializing it hurt the followers, Zed added.

In October 2014, Amazon.com removed the women's leggings carrying images of various Hindu gods and goddesses, and in January 2014 also, it removed the pants carrying image of Lord Ganesha, from its website after Hindus protested.

Perennial hindu whinger, Rajan Zed, has complained about a hindu inspired character in the Overwatch computer game. He wrote on his website:

Hindus are urging Blizzard Entertainment to withdraw Devi (Goddess) skin of Symmetra character in its Overwatch video game, calling it inappropriate.

Skins are said to be alternate appearances that players can apply to characters in video games.

Zed, who is President of Universal Society of Hinduism, said that in a video game set-up, the player controlled the movements of Devi, while in reality the devotees put the destinies of themselves in the hands of their goddesses. Moreover, Devi and its movements depicted in Overwatch did not match with characterization of the goddesses in the scriptures, Rajan Zed noted.

Rajan Zed indicated that reimagining Hindu scriptures, symbols, concepts and deities for commercial or other agenda was not okay as it created confusion. Controlling and manipulating Devi with a joystick/ button/keyboard/mouse was denigration. Devi was meant to be worshipped in temples and home shrines and not to be reduced to just a character in a video game to be used in combat in the virtual battleground.

Zed further said that Hindus were for free speech as much as anybody else if not more ...BUT... faith was something sacred and attempts at belittling it hurt the devotees. Video game makers should be more sensitive while handling faith related subjects, as these games left lasting impact on the minds of highly impressionable children, teens and other young people, Zed added.