Om Classic Thong. (Photo, as it appears on CafePress.com's Website)

Several Sikh religious organizations under the umbrella of World Sikh Council –– America Region (WSC-AR) forced an internet marketplace to remove a religiously offensive women’s undergarments off the site on Jan. 26.

CafePress.com, a B2C internet firm was displaying a women’s thong which had Khanda printed on front until the WSC-AR complained via email and telephone. The product was sold on the Website by WyrdGypsieS Emporium with an equally offensive product description that read: ‘Are u a practicing Sikh? How about your wife? She may not want them, but I’m sure the hip Sikh daughters will find these a hit.’

“The larger issue is been that many people of faith are offended by seeing these sacred symbols in such provocative and degrading pieces of clothing,” Dr. Tarunjit Singh Butalia, Secretary General and Chair of Interfaith Committee of WSC-AR, told New India Times. He said that Khanda is as sacred as the cross is to Christians and as Om to Hindus. Such symbols used in outer clothing may not be offensive, according to Butalia.

In an e-mail to CafePress.com, WSC-AR wrote, “We are very disappointed to know that CafePress is selling an item offensive to the Sikh faith... The (undergarment) with the Sikh symbol and the accompanying language is racist and demeans the Sikh faith. This is especially hurtful because the Sikh community has been preferentially victimized after 9/11.”

Jesus Thong: (Photo, as it appears on CaféPress.com’s Website)

CafePress.com informed WSC-AR via e-mail that they spoke with the emporium which agreed to remove the product and it was pleased to have reached a resolution on the matter, according to Butalia said.

Sikh religious organizations attached to WSC-AR are pleased that the website removed the product within four hours after the complaint was launched. “We further appeal to them to consider removing similar items with Christian, Islamic, Jewish, Buddhist, and Hindu faith symbols,” Butalia added. There are several similar products still for sale on the website, by the same store. Prices vary between $10 and $12. Similar thong with the sacred Hindu symbol of Om –– Om Classic Thong –– is priced at $10.33, and the ‘What would Jesus do?’ thong with the image of Christ is priced at $11.99.

“This [Website] is anplatform. We live in a world of pop culture and these symbols are not considered as religious symbols alone. People go to malls and tattoo these symbols as part of pop culture,” Maheesh Jain, cofounder and vice president of sales and marketing of Cafepress.com told News India-Times. He said parody and tongue-in-cheek lines are part and parcel of many products sold on the Website. CafePress.com displays nearly nine million products by about a million stores, mostly run by individuals, according to Jain.

“Our policy as far as content is concerned is that adult products like nudity or pornography cannot be sold on our website. Hate related products are also not allowed on website.” Membership for selling or buying products on CafePress.com is free but the website receives a portion from the sales price of any product sold through its site.

Jain added that in this case the Sikh religious group found it offensive so CafePress requested the merchandise be removed from the site. “After all it is not illegal for them to sell such products,” he said pointing that internet is ancommunity.