A US brewery will be rebranding their beer, which uses Indian independence leader Mahatma Gandhi’s name and image, after Indians expressed their outrage calling the act “condemnable.”
The New England Brewing Company’s Gandhi-Bot India pale ale features a cartoon image depicting a robot version of the Gandhi, who was a strict vegetarian and non-drinker, the Independent reported.
The Connecticut-based company was sued by a lawyer in southern India, after which they apologized and said in a statement “After careful consideration we feel that renaming Gandhi-Bot is the right move. Taking these steps will allow us to express our support for the Indian-American community while also limiting any economic losses.”
The decision was taken post meetings with Indian-American business owners, temple leaders and state officials, including state Representative Prasad Srinivasan.
Mr Srinivasan, who is originally from India, said he was glad that the brewery had agreed to adhere to the concerns of the Indian-American community, and that he would be looking forward to the early release of their renamed and re branded product.
The beer, which had been distributed for about 5 years, was being promoted on as fully vegetarian and “an ideal aid for self-purification and the seeking of truth and love”.
The lawyer had filed a petition earlier this month before the XI Metropolitan Magistrate in the Indian city of Hyderabad, claiming that the use of Gandhi’s image is an offence under the Prevention of Insults to National Honour Act, 1971. (ANI)