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SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA, May 27, 2002: Hindus in Australia have reacted angrily to the publishing of a cartoon of Lord Ganesha in the Financial Express. The cartoon shows a caricature of Lord Ganesha with four arms standing on a map of India. One hand juggles an atomic bomb, another sticks of dynamite, a third a chicken and the fourth gestures obscenely in the direction of Pakistan. The editors of the publication apparently believe that India is the instigator of the current tensions between the two countries, which are in fact a result of an attack by terrorists upon an army camp which resulted in the deaths of thirty people, mostly women and children, families of the soldiers. India blames Pakistan for the attack. The Hindu Council of Australia wrote the following letter to the Financial Times: “On behalf of the Hindu community in Australia, we wish to express our outrage at the cartoon depicting Lord Ganesha in the Australian Financial Review on May 27, 2002. Whenever there is the likelihood of war between India and Pakistan or even when India launches a missile test, the Fairfax Press manages in these ludicrous caricatures of a Hindu God who is worshipped and adored by millions of Hindus all over the world. What, may we ask, is the relevance of this cartoon to the current situation on the sub-continent? Since Pakistan is Muslim, are you insinuating that India is provoking this war? I would like to remind you that India is a secular state without any state religion, mentioned in its constitution. How can you depict Lord Ganesha who symbolizes everything that is good and sacred as someone who throws around bombs and sticks of gelignite? As mentioned earlier, this is not the first time that the Fairfax Press has been responsible for insulting the Hindu religion and its symbols. We have complained every time but it seems our complaints have fallen on deaf ears. Since your cartoonists would benefit from a brief explanation of the symbolism of Lord Ganesha, we are attaching the same to this letter. Please inform him not to confuse India with Hinduism. Dr A. Balasubramaniam, Chairman.” To contact the Hindu Council or view the cartoon, click “source” above. Letters may be sent to the Financial Times at edletters@afr.com.au.

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