A controversial cover of Newsweek magazine has prompted international outrage and led to calls of a boycott. The cover depicts President Obama as a Hindu god in a “Nataraja” pose. It shows President Obama with six arms, standing on one leg, with a caption reading, “God Of All Things.” The image is similar to the Hindu god Shiva Nataraja – the god of creation, destruction and grace. Each arm represents a different attribute. The President, who was in India recently, is shown trying to balance war, peace, healthcare, housing, and the economy. The Hindu American Foundation wants Newsweek to apologize and to explain to readers what the god symbolizes, but Hindus in Malaysia are taking more drastic measures. Some are demanding the removal of the issue from all of the country’s newsstands.

Newsweek Obama Hindu cover controversy