For the second time in less than a month,Urban Outfitters is coming under fire over one of its products. This time it’s feeling the heat from the Hindu community over its usage of the deity Ganesha on bedroom duvet covers.
Rajan Zed, president of the Universal Society of Hinduism, released a statement Tuesday urging for the immediate withdrawal of the duvet covers.
“Lord Ganesha was highly revered in Hinduism and was meant to be worshipped in temples or home shrines and not to be slept upon. Inappropriate usage of Hindu deities or concepts for commercial or other agenda was not okay [sic] as it hurt the devotees.”
Furthermore, Zed took to Twitter to say: “We urge Urban Outfitters to immediately withdraw duvet cover carrying image of Lord Ganesha, which is highly inappropriate, & apologize.”
An Urban Outfitters spokesperson could not be immediately reached for comment.
The retailer came under fire over its use of Lord Ganesha last year when it featuredthe deity on socks, which were eventually pulled from the company’s website. As of Thursday afternoon, the duvet covers are still available for sale.
The duvet cover controversy comes on the heels over the company’s hypodermic needle-shaped pens sold at its New York flagship.