Washington, USA - A California brewery’s decision to withdraw a beer named after the elephant-God Ganesh from the market has not quenched the desire of Hindu activists to seek damages for "hurting the sentiments of Hindus worldwide".
Brij Dhir, a Golden Gate University law student and attorney licensed in Mumbai, says he is going ahead with his class action lawsuit seeking $1 billion to compensate Hindus worlwide for the "emotional distress" they have suffered.
Dhir’s ire was roused by Lost Coast Brewery’s Indica India Pale Ale named after Ganesh. The label depicts Ganesh holding a beer in one of his four hands, and another in his trunk.
"Withdrawing the beer is not a mitigating gesture," Dhir said.
"We want to go ahead with this case and create a precedent for future generations, so that Hindu symbols and Gods are not insulted in this manner."
In recent years, depiction of Hindu Gods on various merchandise such as jocks, socks, slippers and toilet seats has provoked protests from community activists.
In this case, the brewery has e-mailed Dhir saying it will withdraw the product, but the move has not pacified him.
"They want to withdraw it after their contractual obligations. In the meantime we have to suffer it?" he asks.
Dhir says depicting Jesus Christ, Buddha, Prophet Mohammed or other religious figures would also offend him. He wants a jury to rule that the owners should pay damages for the two years of using the image.
Lost Coast officials were not available for comment at the time of writing. The brewery is owned by two women who gave up other jobs.
Barbara Gloom, a co-owner of the brewery, was quoted as saying her Hindu friends did not mind the Ganesh label and found it "cool". But the company was withdrawing the product because "I don’t want to offend any Hindu people."