After Tricolour Doormats, Twitter Again Massively Slammed Amazon To Remove Mahatma Gandhi Flip Flops Sale
After the tri-coloured doormat issue, Flip-flops bearing the face of India’s independence icon Mahatma Gandhi for sale on Amazon triggered a widespread backlash in India again.
Gandhi is the greatest leader in our Freedom fight and so he is famously called as “Mahatma Gandhi”. He is a person who would always live in the heart of Indian people. As a proud Indian, like many millions, people were hurt by this act of disrespect towards him.
Many people who were offended by this act of negligence, immaturity and irresponsibility committed by the AMAZON OFFICIALS took to social media to express their outrage on the flip flops.
#Amazon selling #Gandhi slippers.It shd be banned in India.While providing platform fr 3rd party vendors,shd respect sensitivities,sentiment
— Shaina NC (@ShainaNC) January 14, 2017
Hello @amazon, sandals with Mahatma Gandhi face. Do we need another notice from @SushmaSwaraj or you withdraw such things voluntarily? pic.twitter.com/wZ6IQKiyJS
— Shakuntala Iyer (@shakkuiyer) January 14, 2017
After doormat’s “Amazon US” selling Mahatma Gandhi flip flops. #Amazon shud be banned in India. @SushmaSwaraj
— Amit dhiman (@AmitDhiman_) January 14, 2017
Several people left comments on the Customer Reviews board beneath the Amazon listing condemning the sale of the sandals.
“Try imagining your footwear featuring your own parents or grandparents & how comfortable would you be with that kind of a ‘respect’ & ‘affection’ shown to them,” wrote Ramesh.
“Shameless Amazon first it was Indian flag and now Mahatma Gandhi looks like Jeff Bezos is losing his mind,” wrote an anonymous user.
Later, Amazon was forced to stop the sale of flip-flops after the Indian government expressed and demanded that Indian sensitivities and sentiments be respected.
Vikas Swarup, Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) Spokesperson said,
“Our Ambassador in Washington had been instructed to convey to Amazon that while providing a platform for third-party vendors, they should respect Indian sensitivities and sentiments. We have been in touch with Amazon both in Washington as well as in Delhi and we have had constructive conversations.”
This is not the first time that amazon has been reported for such news of degrading National Pride. Last week, External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj had received a similar complaint that the Canadian portal of Amazon was selling doormats depicting Indian flag.
Swaraj had reacted sharply to the incident and demanded that the doormats be withdrawn. She had also threatened to revoke the visas of all Amazon officials working in India as well as not grant any visa in the future. However, got afraid the global e-commerce giant Amazon has removed an Indian flag-themed doormat, which was on sale its website.
What do you think of this story? Do you think a serious action to be taken by the government over Amazon? Please share your opinion in the comment section below.