"We are organizing a protest this Sunday, 24th September in all the major cities of Australia," Nihal Agar tells SBS Hindi.
"It will be a peaceful protest against MLA. We want to express our resentment against Meat and Livestock Australia."
Speaking on behalf of the Hindu Council of Australia, Mr Agar says that "our religion and our God are maligned and it is a vilification of multicultural Australia."
"Our religion and our God are maligned and it is a vilification of multicultural Australia."
The Australian Advertising Standards Bureau (ASB) yesterday dismissed complaints against an MLA ad for lamb which depicts the Hindu god Ganesha sitting among other prophets of different faiths coming together over lamb at a modern day spring barbecue.
While Meat and Livestock Australia says the ad positions lamb as the meat people can eat regardless of their religious beliefs, background, or dietary requirements, many people feel it has offended their cultural and religious sensitivities and have condemned it calling the ad "irresponsible" and an "assault" on the diverse cultures in Australia.
Mr Agar says that if this advertisement is not removed and MLA does not apologise, then Australia may face a similar crisis to the period in 2009 when a spate of attacks on international students threatened to hurt Australia's image internationally.
He says, "It will become serious.
"Hindus all over the world will speak against MLA.”
It is not only the Hindu community in Australia who were upset by Ganesha's depiction in an ad for lamb, internationally, US-based prominent Hindu leader, who has a large global following, Rajan Zed, has called the ASB's decision "shocking."
He released a statement on his website calling on Mitch Fifield, Australia Minister for Communications and the Arts, to dismiss the ASB's decision.
Zed said, “Hindus and others, who denounced the highly insensitive ad of Meat & Livestock Australia (MLA), are further shocked at Advertising Standards Bureau’s (ASB) reportedly green signal to apparently reckless marketing strategies of MLA, which had already upset Hindu and other faith communities worldwide.”
Mr Zed also called on Minister for Agriculture Barnaby Joyce to impose a fine on the MLA, "which should not be in the business of playing with the sentiments of communities with the public money."
The ASB review found that the ad is light-hearted and humorous. "Following 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 review read.
Source: YouTube
The ASB findings observed that though many Hindus are vegetarian, it is not a requirement for being Hindu and therefore this advertisement does not hurt religious sentiments.
It said that 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."
Agar says that it is not about whether those of the Hindu faith are vegetarian or eat lamb is beside the point, with the core issue being that it remains an insulting depiction of a deity.
He says, "They have shown Ganesha eating lamb and that is offensive because he is a vegetarian elephant God - And this hurts us."
"So, ASB is trying to dilute the debate by such observation.”
