Reuters shows its ignorance by removing picture of Nikki Haley with 'swastika' at Hindu temple

On Thursday, news agency Reuters showed its ignorance for local customs and traditions by removing a picture taken of US Ambassador to UN Nikki Haley along with a swastika.

The Reuters India Photo twitter handle wrote: “Reuters has removed an earlier photo of U.N. Ambassador Nikki Haley with a swastika seen behind her at a Hindu temple in Delhi. The swastika is an ancient religious symbol for Hindus and Buddhists. It was also used as a symbol by Nazi Germany.”

The swastika is a symbol with major stigma in the western world, given it was the sigil of Nazi Germany. However, that is going against the grain considering it’s an important Hindu symbol. Signs and sigils have to seen the context of the space-time it's used. Even the orientation of the Hindu swastika is different from the one used by Nazis. 

The word is ancient, derived from three Sanskrit words roots – su (good), asti (exists) and ka (make) meaning the maker of goodness. It’s commonly used in a host of places including the entrances of homes and temples, to mark new beginnings and over rituals such as weddings and welcoming a new born.

The decision to remove it showed that news agencies continue to operate on the sensibilities of its Western readers and not through the lens of the local culture where it's operating. 

Reuters has removed an earlier photo of U.N. Ambassador Nikki Haley with a swastika seen behind her at a Hindu temple in Delhi. The swastika is an ancient religious symbol for Hindus and Buddhists. It was also used as a symbol by Nazi Germany https://t.co/rQa4VcIOdy pic.twitter.com/rJTUjd8C4f

— Reuters India Photos (@IndiaPhotos) June 28, 2018

This only makes me want to show off a swastik even more to tell folks who pretend to get offended to stuff it. I can think of a couple of symbols that have caused more deaths than the swastik, by actual believers than random strangers. Will Reuters censor them too? https://t.co/9HlQSASK2V

— Jaideep A. Prabhu (@orsoraggiante) June 29, 2018

Poverty of knowledge.... https://t.co/WWwXNryGAD

— Nirbhay Sharma (@nirbhaysharma) June 29, 2018

Rubbish. The #Hindu swastika is entirely different from the #Nazi swastika. This is crude #Hinduphobia and brazen denigration of #Hinduism by @ReutersIndia @IndiaPhotos . https://t.co/aUvG5ubdM5

— Kanchan Gupta (@KanchanGupta) June 29, 2018

Reminds me of Trudeau's visit. https://t.co/jPQPKvcWVW

— Ram (@ramprasad_c) June 30, 2018

Has @ReutersIndia ppl even seen Swastik that Hindus use? https://t.co/ngUj0PuVJ3

— नंदिता ठाकुर (@nanditathhakur) June 30, 2018

Nazis also wore beige uniforms - you should stop wearing beige
Nazis wore clothes - tell Nikki Haley to get Nekkid
Nazis spoke German - hey Germany stop speaking German
Nazis likes blonde hair - ban blonde hair dye
Nazis liked blue eyes - wear brown contacts #morons https://t.co/UoQ0Qg2k6k

— Nishka Krishna (@NishkaK) June 29, 2018

4500 Years Old Swastika Seal From Indus Valley Civilization

(Photo - British Museum / https://t.co/sYw8Luk0b4 … … ) pic.twitter.com/L2EykQjiQW

— indianhistorypics (@IndiaHistorypic) June 29, 2018

Haley, who was on a three-day visit to India, visited Gauri Shankar Temple on June 28 in the national capital. The US envoy also visited Gurudwara Sis Ganj Sahib, where she also prepared food for langar (community kitchen). She also paid a visit to Jama Masjid and Central Baptist Church.

Daughter of the Sikh immigrants from Punjab, she touted freedom of religion during her visit to India. "We think freedom of religion is just as important as freedom of rights and freedom of peoples," she said on June 27 during her address. Haley, who is the highest ranking Indian-American official in the Trump administration, last visited India in 2014 when she was the South Carolina

With inputs from ANI