Indian activists of the right-wing Hindu organisation Shiv Sena staged a demonstration against the swimwear brand Lisa Blue for using an image of the hindu Goddess Lakshmi in a recent runway show during Australian Fashion Week.

Lisa Blue released an apology on Facebook.

We would like to offer an apology to anyone we may have offended and advise that the image of Goddess Lakshmi will not appear on any piece of Lisa Blue swimwear for the new season, with a halt put on all production of the new range and pieces shown on the runway from last week removed.

Lisa Blue has been born out of a love of conservation, spirituality and a respect for all people. At no time would we ever have intended that the brand would cause offence. The use of images of Goddess Lakshmi was not in any way a measure of calculated risk taking, simply it was a desire to celebrate different cultures and share that through our brand.

Of course, we support Lisa Blue’s decision not to use the image, because we simply can’t put Indian women in jeopardy.

Swimsuits vs Bride Burning

What we want to put in play is the reality of bride burning in India. These same men aren’t marching in the streets over the reality that Lancet estimated that 100,000 women were burned to death in India in 2001. They expect that the number has increased in the last decade. TIME magazine accepted this staggeringly-high number of deaths compiled by researchers from Cambridge, Harvard University and John Hopkins University.

This number is about six times higher than police estimates.

Without being disrespectful, let me suggest that this right-wing Hindu organisation Shiv Sena may not have a loud record in fighting bride burning.

That’s Indians talking, not me. I have no proof that Shiv Sena embraces bride burning — today I have no proof. ~ Anne