The controversial lamb ad campaign by Meat and Livestock Australia which offended sections of the Hindu community in Australia and overseas does not breach the advertising codes, the Advertising Standards Bureau has ruled. The board of the ABS has dismissed the complaints against the ad saying it does not discriminate against or vilify a person or section of the community on account of their religion.
The ASB said while many Hindus are vegetarian, vegetarianism is not a requirement of this faith. It said the depiction of Lord Ganesh is “simply symbolic of the Hindu faith and his inclusion is part of the message of an inclusive multi-faith meal”.
Several members of Australia’s Hindu community and organisations representing the Hindu faith were outraged at the ad featuring Hindu Deity Ganesha sitting around a lunch table among other gods and prophets of different faiths some of whom are shown enjoying a meal of lamb and sipping wine.
The board of the Advertising Standards Bureau was divided on whether the lamb ad of MLA vilified the Hindu community. A minority of the board opined that the ad breached code 2.1 as it presented Lord Ganesha as a lamb eater, thus giving a “less favourable treatment” to him because of his characteristic of not eating meat and therefore is discriminatory to the Hindu section of the community, on the basis of religion.
However, it said, upon considerable discussion, the majority of the board considered that the overall tone of the advertisement is light-hearted and humorous and in their view, the intent is to be “inclusive in a manner which promotes a harmonious and multi-faith environment”.
“The Board considered that the Indian population and those of Hindu religion are not a disadvantaged or minority population for the consideration of whether or not material is vilifying,” said the Bureau.
The Ad Standards Bureau board said the ad does not depict Lord Ganesha eating meat and that the ad has taken care to show Lord Ganesha toasting with a glass of water and not alcohol.
“Board noted that Buddha asks if they should ‘address the elephant in the room’ and considered that the manner in which this statement is made is clearly in the context of a joke and in the Board’s view Lord Ganesha answers in an assertive manner suggestive of his complicity in the light-hearted nature of this comment,” the ASB said in a response to the complaints.
However, members of the Hindu community in Australia are unhappy at the ASB’s decision to dismiss their complaint and they have vowed to keep opposing the ad.
“It’s an unfortunate decision… we will take all measures possible to stop harassment, bullying and Hinduphobia by Meat & Livestock Australia,” said Karthik Arasu, a member of Melbourne’s Hindu community. “I hope Lord Ganehsa will give them the understanding of respecting others.”
The Hindu Council of Australia says it will hold nationwide protests against Meat & Livestock Australia on Sunday.
"Our protest is against the insensitivity shown by MLA against the Hindu community even as both sides of politics have supported us in our call for revoking this ad," Balesh Dhankhar, spokesperson for the Hindu Council of Australia told SBS Punjabi.
