I didn't get the impression it was a "controversy," per se, it was just some guys going "what the hell, DC, you're disrespecting our gods," followed by DC going "shit. Uh. Okay, quick, put Rama on a bus and never speak of this again." Much like the Xena thing Scribler speaks of.
I'm trying to scrounge up a link or two, but this is mostly forum hearsay and Occam's razor, hence my use of "apparently."