Bikinis, undergarments with images of Hindu deities cause waves of protests in India

(RNS) India’s right-wing Hindu group Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) unleashed protests in the northwestern Indian state of Gujarat against lingerie emblazoned with Hindu deities.

The undergarments that bear images of three major Hindu deities– Lord Vishnu, Lord Ram and Lord Krishna– were originally designed by Italian designer Roberto Cavalli this year.

“We had such cases of undergarments bearing the images of Hindu gods being sold in foreign countries. Back then Hindu groups had protested against this. And promptly the sale was stopped, but now they are trying to sell them off in India,” VHP activist Rakesh Thakery told reporters. “They are trying to make this reach every house.”

Babubhai Patel, another activist, said: “We can’t tolerate this nonsense. Such images of gods and goddesses on undergarments is derogatory. This is an attack on our culture.”

The deities have also been spotted on products like toilet seat covers, boxes of tissues, shoes, sandals and finger puppets.