NEW DELHI: Economic Affairs Secretary
Shaktikanta Das
today warned e-commerce giant
Amazon not to be "flippant" about Indian symbols and icons, and said if it shows indifference towards Indian sensibilities, it will do so at its own peril.
Das added that he'd made these remarks as an Indian citizen, and that nothing more should be read into them.
He later tweeted this.
Das' comments come just days after External Affairs minister
Sushma Swaraj received a complaint about doormats depicting the Indian flag , which were listed on Amazon's Canada website.
After she threatened to impose a visa embargo on Amazon officials, the
company wrote to her to express regret at hurting Indian sensibilities, and pulled the offending items from the site.
But Amazon found itself in trouble again on Saturday, when Swaraj received complaints that there were flip-flops depicting Mahatma Gandhi for sale on the company's US website.
When asked about the issue, Ministry of External Affairs Spokesperson Vikas Swarup simply said, "As a follow up to the matter regarding the sale of doormats with the Indian flag on Amazon, our Ambassador in Washington has been instructed to convey to Amazon that while providing a platform for third party vendors, they should respect Indian sensitivities and sentiments."
It isn't the first time Amazon has found itself in hot water for listing products offensive to Indians. Last year, the company enraged many on social media after it came to light that it was selling doormats with pictures of Indian gods and goddesses. That discovery even lead to the creation of the hashtag #BoycottAmazon.
And in 2014, the website was found selling women's leggings with images of various Hindu gods.
Inputs from PTI
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