Walmart is under fire after listing products featuring prints of Lord Ganesha, including slippers, underwear, swimsuits, and trousers. Many have lambasted the American multinational retail corporation, demanding the removal of these products from their website and an apology for hurting religious sentiments.
An X (formerly Twitter) shared screenshots of the products on the microblogging website and 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.”
The screenshots revealed that multiple vendors sold the items.
One listing for trousers described them as “Lukts celestial Ganesh blessings for men – sleek straight pajama pants, versatile lounge pants, and cozy sleepwear all in one-xx-large.”
“This is unacceptable. You can’t demean our Hindu Gods,” wrote yet another X user while sharing another set of products on the website. “Walmart should immediately withdraw the ‘Celestial Ganesh Blessings collection’ and apologize to Hindus.”
The screenshots show online stores selling swimsuits, slippers, and trousers with Lord Ganesh prints.
The Hindu American Foundation (HAF) criticized Walmart for misusing Hindu imagery on slippers and swimsuits. The group called for the products to be removed from Walmart’s website.
HAF said it had written directly to Walmart about the issue. The group noted that Lord Ganesha is worshipped by over a billion people worldwide. They urged Walmart to stop selling the disrespectful items immediately.
The organization also expressed willingness to discuss the appropriate commercial use of images depicting Hindu deities.
Walmart has yet to state the “celestial Ganesh blessing” collection, but most items have been removed from their website following the backlash.