Hindu leaders in Britain on Tuesday demanded withdrawal of a Christmas stamp featuring the picture of a man and a woman with Hindu markings worshipping infant Christ.

The stamp, issued by Britain's Royal Mail Service, shows a man having a 'tilak' on his forehead, clearly identifying him as a Vaishnava Hindu, and the woman having a traditional 'kumkum' mark on her forehead identifying her as a married Hindu lady. The couple is shown worshipping infant Christ

The Hindu Forum of Britain, in a statement, demanded withdrawal of the stamp saying it was insensitive as it clearly shows a Hindu couple worshipping Christ.

The image is one of a series of six mother and child stamps that go on sale on Tuesday.

"The stamp in question is priced at 68 pence, which is usually the price of stamps on letters sent to India," Ramesh Kallidai, Secretary general of the Forum.

The stamp depicting the Hindu couple was a print of a 17th century picture that hangs in an art gallery in Mumbai.

It is an Indianised version of a European print of The Holy Family with St Anne and the two angels, according to the city art gallery. It has a European theme it a Mughal setting.