Malka Brewery in Israel apologises to Indian embassy for using Gandhi image on beer cans

"It is understood from Malka Brewery that these limited edition cans are no longer being produced," according to a letter from the embassy to Eby J Jos, chairman of Mahatma Gandhi National Foundation, on Tuesday.

Malka Brewery had apologized to us for this offence caused to Indians while informing us that their intention had in fact been to honour Mahatma Gandhi, it said.

"That is why, along with his image, they had included images of other Israeli leaders including three former Prime Ministers (David Ben-Gurion; Golda Meir and Menachem Begin) and the Father of Zionism Herzl in their limited edition bottles, to celebrate the Israeli Independence Day in May," it said. "They had, however, understood our concerns and promised to keep this in mind in future."

The Embassy had noticed this can with Gandhiji’s distorted image in May 2019 and had immediately raised its strong objection with the Malka brewery, the letter said.

The Embassy had pointed out that the misuse of Mahatma Gandhi’s image, a strong advocate of prohibition, as a label on their limited edition beer bottle, was antithetical to his very beliefs and values and was therefore hurtful to Indian sentiments, the letter added.

This is to be noted that the use of Mahatma Gandhi’s image on beer cans and bottle by an Israel-based company has courted controversy as Prime Ministers of Israel and India have been urged to take up the matter with the liquor manufacturer.