Pizza delivery company Papa John’s is in the process of removing its Papadias television commercial, Yoga, after Hindus protested, stating that it trivialised the religion.

 

Earlier this month, a portal published an e-mail content, stated to be received from a spokeswoman for the chain, stating, “We are in the process of removing this commercial from rotation, which will take full effect over the next week.”

 

Hindu statesman Rajan Zed, who raised the issue, in a statement in Nevada, thanked the company for understanding the concerns of Hindu community, which thought that it was highly inappropriate to trivialise the greatly-revered Hindu concepts and symbols, Om and Yoga, in a pizza commercial.

 

Zed, president, Universal Society of Hinduism, however, pointed out that they were still waiting for a formal apology from Papa John’s chief executive officer Robert Lynch to the Hindu community.

 

He suggested that Papa John’s and other companies should send their senior executives for training in religious and cultural sensitivity, so that they had an understanding of the feelings of customers and communities when introducing new products or launching advertising campaigns.

 

“Moreover, this commercial associated sacred Hindu concepts and symbols with beef-laced pizza, which was hurtful to the devotees who considered the cow as holy. Three of the four varieties of its recently-launched Papadias reportedly contained beef,” Zed added.

 

He stated that inappropriate usage of Hindu concepts or symbols or icons or deities for commercial or other agenda was not okay as it hurt the devotees. Pizza delivery companies should not be in the business of mocking serious religious concepts.

 

“Hinduism was the oldest and third largest religion of the world, with about 1.1 billion adherents and a rich philosophical thought, and it should not be taken frivolously. Symbols of any faith, larger or smaller, should not be mishandled,” Zed added.

“In Hinduism, Om, the mystical sacred syllable containing the universe, is used to introduce and conclude religious work. Usually considered the most powerful mantra, Om has been equated with brahman, isvara, atman, etc,” he said.

 

Zed added, “Yoga is considered union with God, one of the six systems of Hindu philosophy, and a means for transforming consciousness and purification of the self and attaining liberation.”

 

Founded in 1983, Papa John’s International Inc, an award-winning chain which claims to be the world’s third-largest pizza delivery company with over 5,000 restaurants, described the recently-introduced Papadias as part-pizza, part-sandwich and portable deliciousness.