“Calling it highly inappropriate,” Upset Hindus are calling on Walmart, the multinational retail corporation headquartered in Bentonville, Arkansas, to immediately withdraw 74 varieties of underwear featuring the image of the Hindu deity Lord Ganesh.
President of Universal Society of Hinduism, Rajan Zed, in a statement from Nevada, noted “Lord Ganesh was highly revered in Hinduism and was meant to be worshipped in temples or home shrines and not to adorn one’s crotch or for ‘moisture-wicking,’ or for making underwear appear ‘sexy,’” adding “Inappropriate usage of Hindu deities or concepts or symbols or icons for commercial or other agenda was not okay as it was painful for the devotees.”
Zed has also urged Walmart CEO Doug McMillon and Board Chairman Gregory B. Penner to issue a formal apology in addition to removing the items from sale.
Zed emphasized that Hinduism, the world’s oldest and third-largest religion with approximately 1.2 billion followers, is deeply rooted in rich philosophical traditions and deserves respect. He stated that symbols of any faith, whether followed by many or few, should never be treated disrespectfully.
Zed further said that “such trivialization of Hindu deity was disturbing for the Hindus. 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 Hinduism, Lord Ganesh is revered as the deity of wisdom and the remover of obstacles, often invoked at the start of significant endeavors, the statement added.
Described as “Celestial Ganesh Blessings”; Walmart sells 74 different varieties of underwear for men, women, girls, boys, teenagers, kids as briefs, boxer briefs, thongs, panties, pouch boxer, bikini panties from $15.99 to $19.99. These come as low waisted, high waisted, hipster, low rise, G-String thongs, etc.
It added that in fiscal year 2024, Walmart reported revenue of $648 billion. It is estimated that each week, around 255 million customers and members visit over 10,500 Walmart stores and various eCommerce platforms across 19 countries. The company’s tagline is, “Come for the Deals. Stay for the Drama.”
