American Rapper Cardi B has erected a new controversy in India after she set out to promote her debut sneaker brand in partnership with Addidas. While there is nothing wrong with the brand or the shoe, but the way it is being promoted has irked Indians.

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The 28-year-old rapper, inspired by Goddess Durga, decided to use her well-known eight-handed avatar to promote the sneakers. Cardi sharing one picture wrote, “So excited for my sneaker drop this Friday November 13th! Hope you guys love it!

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If Cardi’s rockin’ it, go buy stock in it. That’s a tip as FN’s November cover star @iamcardib makes her first major foray into the shoe industry with the Nov. 13 debut of her Club C Cardi sneaker collection with @Reebok.⁠ ⁠ In a @GeorgesHobeika dress, she pays homage to Durga, the Hindu goddess, whose symbols of protection and inner strength resonate as much in modern times as they have through the centuries. Like Durga, Cardi B is a dominant female voice at a critical time.⁠ ⁠ At the link in bio, Cardi B gets candid with FN’s @nikarajohns about her future in the fashion industry, upcoming Reebok collab and her relentless need to win in the FN exclusive.⁠ ⁠ –⁠ Photography: @jorafrantzis; Style Director: @shannonadducci ; Styling: @kollincarter; Style assistant: @jennijenu; Tailor: @sirbabajagne; Makeup: @erika_lapearl_mua; Hair: @tokyostylez; Nails: @marienailz; Set Design: Brielle Hubert, Pete Hickok and Yalina Flores⁠

A post shared by Footwear News (@footwearnews) on Nov 10, 2020 at 9:05am PST

“If Cardi’s rockin’ it, go buy stock in it. That’s a tip as FN’s November cover star Cardi B makes her first major foray into the shoe industry with the Nov. 13 debut of her Club C Cardi sneaker collection with Reebok,” Cardi added.

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As she posted the picture, a host of people took on to social media to criticise Cardi. While many were displeased with the bare body homage to the Goddess, others are angry about the fact that she is holding a shoe in her hands.

https://twitter.com/MissAmericHANA/status/1326420547387977731

https://twitter.com/xuxidesi/status/1326248471041503233

https://twitter.com/onlytearskaty/status/1326406406531117056

The way Hinduism is disrespected is just unbelievably disgusting
— Geetaॐ (@GeetaChelseaFC) November 11, 2020

https://twitter.com/PRITSOFFICIAL/status/1326353836274032641

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So hindhi oomf found this offensive and disgusting. Can western people stop using religions as aesthetics https://t.co/3qjusOtWmi
— lau ? (@taydrugs) November 11, 2020

Shoe a fucking shoe do you know who durga maa is? This is disrespectful!!! Cardi it's a No. Never. Not. From us pic.twitter.com/VTbVluDsW0
— V (@otbftlarents) November 11, 2020

https://twitter.com/wotermelonsugrx/status/1326414868120018945

Meanwhile, after Cardi learned about the criticism, she came out with an apology.

“A lot of my fans have been telling me that I’m getting dragged through social media…. And they say it’s because of my Reebok shoot and saying that I disrespected a Goddess…. When I did the shoot the creatives told me I was going to represent a Goddess, that she represents strength, femininity and liberation, and that’s something that I love and I’m all about, and though it was dope. But if people think I’m offending their culture or their religion I want to say that was not my intent. I do not like offending anyone’s religion; I wouldn’t like it if someone did it to my religion. When people dress as Virgin Mary and Jesus, as long as they do it in a beautiful, graceful way…. But I wasn’t trying to be disrespectful; maybe I should have done my research. I’m sorry, I can’t change the past but I will do more research for the future.”