Kim Kardashian has angered Hindus and prompted cries of cultural appropriation by donning earrings emblazoned with the sacred sound and spiritual symbol 'Om'.
A statement from Rajan Zed, the president of the Universal Society of Hinduism, said that the reality star's choice of jewellery for the shoot was "deeply trivialising" and "hurtful" to Hindu devotees
"[Om] was not meant to be used as a fashion statement or become a tool for sexy fashion," said Zed.
"Celebrities should not be in the business of religious appropriation, sacrilege, and ridiculing entire communities."
Zed insisted Kardashian should apologise to Hindus worldwide, immediately remove the images from the photoshoot shared on her Twitter account, and undergo religious and cultural sensitivity training.
Many social media users shared Zed's sentiments, expressing disdain in the comments sections of Kardashian's Twitter posts.
"Is now a good time to mention that the Om is a sacred symbol to Hindus and not just an accessory?" one tweet read.
"She is really out here appropriating culture and religion like it's a hobby. Do some basic research, the Om symbol is sacred and it's not an aesthetic." said another.
It's not the first time the Keeping Up With The Kardashians star has prompted backlash over cultural appropriation. In 2019, she was forced to rename her shapewear brand to SKIMS after its original name, Kimono, sparked outrage.
At the time, Kardashian insisted she was "always listening" to the feedback and opinions from her fans and followers, but did not apologise for any offense caused.
The mother-of-four has also upset fans on more than one occasion by wearing her hair in fulani braids, a traditional African hairstyle - at one stage crediting them as 'Bo Derek braids', referencing the white actress who famously wore the hairstyle in the 1979 movie 10.
