Fresh off a controversy over the sale of underwear with an image of the Hindu deity, Amazon Canada is getting heat over the appropriation of the flag of India.
India’s Minister of External Affairs says his country will discontinue issuing visas to Amazon employees and suspend those already issued if the company did not stop the sale of all products which misuse the India’s flag, reported India.com.
The threat drew an immediate response from Amazon Canada. According to First Post, Amazon immediately pulled the sale of doormats resembling the tri-color flag.
The removal of the product from Amazon’s Canadian website comes after a tweet from external affairs minister Sushma Swaraj. “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.”
The campaign by the minister has not been without controversy. Some question the wisdom of going after a company which has promised to invest $5 billion in the country. They also point out that Amazon Canada has similar doormats resembling the flags of the United States and Britain.
India.com says similar products using the Indian flag are sold by Cafe Press.
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