Swimwear firm apologises for carrying Goddess images on bikini

Natasha Chaku
Melbourne, May 9 (PTI) An Australian swimwear label
company, which triggered a controversy by depicting an image
of Goddess Lakshmi on a bikini bottom and front of a model,
has apologised to the Hindu community for hurting their
sentiments.
"We would like to offer an apology to anyone we may
have offended and advise that the image of Goddess Lakshmi
will not appear on any piece of Lisa Blue swimwear for the new
season, with a halt put on all production of the new range and
pieces shown on the runway removed," said a statement issued
by the Lisa Blue Swimwear.
The swimwear company carried an image of Goddess
Lakshmi on a bikini bottom and front of a model who walked the
ramp at Rosemount Australian Fashion Week in Sydney last week.
"This range will never be available for sale in any
stockists or retail outlets anywhere in the world. We
apologize to the Hindu community and take this matter very
seriously," the statement said.
The apology came after Indian community strongly
protested the depiction of Goddess images on swimwear, saying
it has hurt the religious sentiments of the Hindu community.
Earlier, Rajan Zed, President of Universal Society of
Hinduism, asked the manufacturer to publicly apologize and
immediately recall all swimwear which showed Hindu Goddess.