Doormats with the US and UK flags also listed.
Amazon has received a strong warning from Indian External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj after Amazon Canada listed a doormat with Indian tricolor flag as its theme.
In a strongly worded tweet to the US-based e-commerce giant, Swaraj threatened to revoke the visas of its officials in India if the company doesn’t tender an unconditional apology for the “unacceptable” practice.
In a series of tweets, Swaraj lashed out against Amazon after she was informed about the matter. In her tweet, Swaraj said selling Indian-flag themed doormat is equal to disrespecting the nation and it is totally unacceptable and asked the e-retailer to take the product offline and apologize.
Swaraj tweeted: “Amazon must tender an unconditional apology. They must withdraw all products insulting our national flag immediately.”
“If this is not done forthwith, we will not grant Indian Visa to any Amazon official. We will also rescind the Visas issued earlier,” Swaraj added.
The External Affairs Minister also asked the Indian mission in Ottawa to take up the issue with Amazon. As soon as the issue became contentious with Indian origin Canadians protesting, Amazon’s Canada removed the product from the website.
“Indian High Commission in Canada: This is unacceptable. Please take this up with Amazon at the highest level,” wrote Swaraj.
Swaraj was intimated about the listing via Twitter by a user named Athul Bhobe who tweeted to the Minister: “Madam. Amazon Canada must be censured and warned not to sell India flag doormats. Please take action.”
Amazon listing of the Indian flag themed doormat read “Personal Durable Machine-Washable Indoor/Outdoor.” The mat was sold via Amazon marketplace by a vendor going by the name XLYL.
Overseas Friend of the BJP, Canada a social media post said that by listing the product, Amazon insulted the Indian flag.
It is not just the Indian flag themed doormat that has been listed on Amazon by the same vendor but doormats featuring the flags of the UK and the US are also listed as products for sale.
Social Media Update
If this is not done forthwith, we will not grant Indian Visa to any Amazon official. We will also rescind the Visas issued earlier.
— Sushma Swaraj (@SushmaSwaraj) January 11, 2017
Amazon must tender unconditional apology. They must withdraw all products insulting our national flag immediately. /1
— Sushma Swaraj (@SushmaSwaraj) January 11, 2017