Mahatma Gandhi's family criticises image of Indian independence campaigner on bottled beer
Using the image of Gandhi was “crass and silly”, says Gopalkrishna Gandhi, Gandhi’s grandson
The New England Brewery Company, based in Connecticut, said it was sorry if it had offended anyone by using Gandhi's name and image for its ‘Gandhi-Bot’ India Pale Ale
By Dean Nelson, New Delhi
2:49PM GMT 05 Jan 2015
Descendants of Mahatma Gandhi have strongly criticised an American brewery which put the image of the Indian independence campaigner on one of its bottled beers.
Gandhi's great-grandson Tushar Gandhi said he was considering legal action against the company for using the image of M.K Gandhi, regarded as the ‘father’ of India’s independence struggle.
Gandhi was teetotal and publicly opposed drinking alcohol.
The New England Brewery Company, based in Connecticut, said it was sorry if it had offended anyone by using Gandhi's name and image for its ‘Gandhi-Bot’ India Pale Ale after a lawyer brought a case against it in Hyderabad.
The lawyer said the use of Gandhi’s image was an illegal insult to the nation’s honour, but the brewery insisted it meant no offence and indicated the beer would not be withdrawn.
The brewery billed the beer as "vegetarian" and a perfect aid for those seeking truth and love.
“We do apologise if the good people of India find our Gandhi-Bot label offensive. Our intent is not to offend anyone but rather pay homage and celebrate a great man who we respect greatly”, said Matt Westfall of the New England Brewing Company.
He claimed Mahatma Gandhi’s grand-daughter and grandson had seen and “admired” the beer label but other descendants told the Telegraph the use of his image to sell alcohol was “crass” and “horrendous”.
Tushar Gandhi said no one consulted the family about using the image.
“How can anyone think of using Mahatma Gandhi’s picture on a bottle of alcoholic product? All his life he abhorred alcohol drinking and spoke against it. No-one has consulted us or sought our permission to use his picture. We are contemplating legal action for hurting the sentiments of millions of people”, he said.
Gopalkrishna Gandhi, Gandhi’s grandson and a retired senior diplomat, said the use of his image was “crass and silly” but part of a much wider “commodification” which should be challenged.
The Indian government recently used Gandhi’s distinctive spectacles as a logo for a public hygiene campaign.
“Our concern should be the retrieval of his larger ideology of non-violence, pluralism and human ideals”, the grandson said.
