Walmart under fire for selling Lord Ganesha-printed underwear. Social media calls it ’shameless’
Walmart faced backlash from the Hindu community for selling products featuring Lord Ganesha, which many deemed culturally insensitive. The Canadian Hindu Chamber of Commerce urged Walmart to remove these items, emphasising the spiritual significance of the deity.
US retailer Walmart is in the news for all the wrong reasons this shopping season. The company has faced strong criticism from the Hindu community since it began selling slippers, undergarments, swimsuits, and other items featuring prints of Lord Ganesha. Following the backlash, Walmart removed the Ganesha slippers from its online catalogue.
Photos of these products went viral on social media, with many users accusing Walmart of cultural insensitivity and disrespecting religious sentiments.
In a post on X, a user wrote, “Listen!! Walmart, featuring Lord Ganesha on underwear and casual wear is deeply disrespectful to #Hindus. Deities are not fashion statements; they hold profound spiritual significance. Please reconsider this product line to show respect for religious symbols.”
One user stated, "All religions should be given equal respect. Walmart should step in and stop selling these products." Another user criticised, saying, “Shame on Walmart! This should not be allowed, and they should apologize.”
Another netizen remarked, "The company that produces these items should be banned, and the seller must be punished for this misconduct. This is a shameful act, and no one has the right to disrespect other religions." Another social media user added, “This is very sad. Please respect other religions and cultures.”
Another peeved netizen wrote, “It has displayed of depravity and a degenerated mentality, which is likely to provoke a serious backlash from Hindus & other communities worldwide [sic].”
Meanwhile, seeing the online outrage, the Canadian Hindu Chamber of Commerce in a post on X, wrote, “The Canadian Hindu Chamber of Commerce (CHCC) supports @HinduAmerican in raising concerns about the disrespectful misuse of sacred Hindu imagery, such as Lord Ganesha, on products like slippers and bathing suits sold by @Walmart. Lord Ganesha is worshipped by over a billion people worldwide as the remover of obstacles and a symbol of wisdom. We urge @WalmartCanada to immediately remove these items from sale. CHCC is ready to engage in a constructive dialogue about the proper commercial use of Hindu imagery.”
Other social media users also criticised Walmart for featuring Lord Ganesha prints on its products. Facing outrage, Walmart removed the Ganesha slippers from the catalogue.
Catch all the Business News , Breaking News Events and Latest News Updates on Live Mint. Download The Mint News App to get Daily Market Updates.
Business NewsNewsTrendsWalmart under fire for selling Lord Ganesha-printed underwear. Social media calls it ’shameless’
First Published:9 Dec 2024, 09:58 AM IST
- Top Gainers
- Top Losers
- 52 Week High