Strongly objecting to a US company launching a beer brand named after Goddess Kali, a demand was made in Rajya Sabha today that US Ambassador to India should be summoned and asked to apologise for it.
Raising the issue during Zero Hour, Ravi Shankar Prasad (BJP) said it is a serious and sensitive issue that a Portland-based company Burnside Brewing has launched a product titled Kali-Ma beer, hurting the sentiments of Indians.
"The advertisement for the beer read 'Come worship the black one Kali as the ultimate reality or Brahman' with a picture of the Goddess. Earlier also a picture of Goddess Laxmi was displayed in a toilet, picture of God was put on bra, Lord Ganesha was displayed as a sex object in a talk show," he said demanding India to take up the issue with US.
Mr Prasad said the UPA government maintains that it enjoys good relations with the US but there is no advertisement code and he questioned whether they could have dared to mock the God or Goddess of any other religion.
"Summon US Ambassador to India and make him apologise for this," he said condemning the act and demanded a statement from External Affairs Minister.
As BJP and other members supported the issue, Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs Rajeev Shukla intervened saying, "I will convey the concerns to External Affairs Ministry.
"...but I would like to point out that some years back when I had raised the issue of a store in US having pictures of Ganesha on slippers and you (Ravi Shankar Prasad) were sitting in my place, no step was taken."