"We demand that the company immediately stop producing shoes with Buddha´s images and seize all such shoes being sold in the market," said Krishna Gopal Shrestha, chief of the valley committee of the party at a press meet organized at the party headquarters in Balkhu.[break]
He also demanded that the company apologize for hurting the sentiments of the Buddhists as well as other peace-loving people across the world. "The US-based shoe company has used the image of Lord Gautam Buddha to promote its shoes undermining the contribution and philosophy of Buddha," read the statement issued by Shrestha.
While urging the international company not to repeat such an act, the UML body has also criticized the Baburam Bhattarai-led government for keeping mum on the issue.
Shrestha said the UML committee has already drawn the government´s attention on the issue and is going to officially submit a memorandum to Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Foreign Affairs Narayankaji Shrestha on Thursday.
"We, through the government of Nepal, demand that the US government take initiatives to stop production of shoes with Buddha´s images," Shrestha explained.
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