The Indian community in the United States is outraged over the publication of an article degrading Mahatma Gandhi.

The latest edition of Maxim, a lifestyle magazine, in a 'humour' article depicts a strapping man in a 'Muscle' T-shirt beating up Gandhi.

The article, attempting to show how fighting can bring fitness, calls for 'a healthy regimen of violent assaults' and urges readers to 'teach those pacifists a lesson about aggression'.

Web sites of non-violence and non-resident Indian activists are full of calls for protests and a debate is on whether to sue the magazine, which has a history of making fun of Gandhi.

"This should not be taken silently. Ask for an unconditional apology from the magazine. Tell them to stop this violent hate against non-violence," said indiacause.com, a Web site concentrating on India-related issues in the US.

"My first reaction is 'how stupid'; my next reaction is 'how sad'," Michelle Naef of the M K Gandhi Institute in Memphis was quoted as saying by tolerance.org, a Web site that promotes non-violence.

"Gandhi spent his life fasting and being tortured... Clearly, they have no clue who they're dealing with, to depict him this way," Naef said.

In today's context, after the September 11 terrorist attacks in the US and with the anti-war movement, 'this article is telling people to beat the crap out of Asians and pacifists', said Michael Matsuda, chairperson of the Orange County Asian Pacific Islander Community Alliance in California.

"It is fanning the flames of hatred and bigotry... That should be offensive to everyone," he said.

Both Naef and Matsuda, along with other pacifist organisations, are seeking an apology from Maxim, which had run a 'stupid fun' article in 2000 titled 'Oh, Calcutta: Three reasons to hate... Gandhi'.

"There is a deep and fundamental misunderstanding of what non-violence is all about," Naef said.

"Gandhi was an incredibly strong person. Muscle strength can't possibly come close to the kind of strength Mahatma Gandhi had."

Ironically, Maxim had launched its first Asian edition two months ago, 'just in time for it to make fun of one of the most revered men on the Asian continent', Naef said.

PTI