US Religion

Perennial hindu whinger Rajan Zed has taken aim at the Dutch festive character Black Pete. He wrote:

It was time for the negative, offensive, racist and discriminatory caricature of Black Pete (Zwarte Piet) to vanish from the traditional festivities of Netherlands.

Country of Rembrandt and Van Gogh which had a long history of social tolerance and which hosted International Court of Justice should not be in the business of such negative stereotyping.

Rajan Zed noted that it was absolutely baffling that racist stereotypes like Dutch Black Pete , which should have been extinct many decades ago, continued to exist in 21st century world. Was not Netherlands famous for promoting equality? Zed asked.

Zed indicated that Dutch Black Pete might be a popular Dutch tradition but it appeared to be a racist throwback to the slavery era.

Rajan Zed urged His Majesty King Willem-Alexander and Prime Minister Mark Rutte of the Netherlands to urgently intervene to put an end to the character of Dutch Black Pete .

Zed suggested His Holiness Pope Francis and other religious leaders to also come out with a strong statement against Dutch Black Pete tradition as religions were supposed to speak against racism.

Perennial whinger Rajan Zed writes on his blog:

Upset Hindus are urging US online retailer RageOn for immediate removal of shoes, underwear, yoga mats, onesies, duvet covers, bed sheet, blankets; carrying images of Hindu gods Ganesha and Shiva and goddess Kali; calling it highly inappropriate.

Rajan Zed said that Hindu deities--Ganesha, Shiva and Kali--printed on RageOn shoes, underwear, yoga mats, onesies, duvet covers, bed sheet, blankets; were highly revered in Hinduism and were meant to be worshipped in temples or home shrines and not to be worn around or touched by one's feet, groin, buttocks, legs or slept upon. Inappropriate usage of Hindu deities or concepts for commercial or other agenda was not okay as it hurt the devotees.

Zed, who is President of Universal Society of Hinduism, also urged RageOn CEO & Founder Michael Krilivsky to offer a formal apology.

Zed further said that such trivialization of Hindu deities was disturbing to the Hindus world over. Hindus were for free artistic expression and speech as much as anybody else if not more ...BUT... faith was something sacred and attempts at trivializing it hurt the followers, Zed added.

Perennial hindu whinger Rajan Zed has been 'outraged' by fashion designer Ashish Gupta for trivializing Hindu deities in London Fashion Week show on September 19th.

Hindu statesman Rajan Zed, said in a statement that Hindu deities were meant to be worshipped in temples and home shrines and it was highly inappropriate to unnecessarily parade their likeness in fashion shows for mercantile greed.

Zed further said that inappropriate usage of Hindu deities or concepts or symbols for commercial or other agenda was not okay as it was disturbing to the faithful. Hindus were for free expression and speech as much as anybody else if not more ...BUT... faith was something sacred and attempts at trivializing it tormented the devotees, Zed pointed out and added that businesses should be respectful to various faith traditions.

Writing about this Ashish Gupta's Bollywood Bloodbath catwalk show, fashion website styleXstyle, calling it Downright Disrespectful , said that:

We couldn't help but notice how models were dressed as Hindu deities to showcase the looks and I see models' faces painted to replicate that of Hindu Gods. It further asked What does Lord Shiva or Hindu Goddess Kali have to do with fashion?

And added that cultural appropriation is not cool or hip or edgy. It's disrespectful.