Thursday, May 19 2005 16:31 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

Washington: Offended by the depiction of Hindu God Ganesh on a bottle of beer, an Indian American law student is suing the company for "hurting the sentiments of Hindus worldwide".

Though Lost Coast Brewery has withdrawn the label, Brij Dhir, a Golden Gate University law student who is also an attorney licensed in Mumbai, said he was seeking damages worth $ one billion from the company for "intimidating Hindus from practising their religion".

Dhir, who hails from Brentwood, said the company's Indica India's IPA label showed Ganesh holding a beer in one of his arms and another in his trunk.

"How can you show a god in such a way?" Dhir asked.

"There are lots of ways of having fun. This is not fun," he was quoted as saying in the Contra Costa Times.

The brewery has e-mailed Dhir saying it would withdraw the product. "I don't want to offend any Hindu people," co-owner Barbara Groom said.

However, Dhir seeks atleast $ 25,000 and his lawsuit mentioned that $ one billion would be appropriate to compensate.

Also named as defendants were Safeway, which carried the product, the State Department of Fair Employment and Housing and the State Attorney General's office.

Dhir alleged it had failed to respond to his requests for action against the brewery, the report said.