New Delhi: Global online retailer Amazon on Thursday conveyed its regret to India over a “third-party seller” in Canada offending Indian sentiments by selling doormats in Canada with the Indian flag on it on the Amazon site in that country, adding that it has already pulled out the item from Amazon Canada website.
This came after external affairs minister Minister Sushma Swaraj on Wednesday threatened to revoke the visas of all officials of Amazon as well as not grant any visas henceforth unless the company apologises for selling these offensive doormats. “In response to EAM @SushmaSwaraj’s tweet, @amazon writes to her, expresses regret at hurting Indian sensibilities, pulls offending item,” ministry of external affairs (MEA) spokesperson Vikas Swarup tweeted.
In a letter to Ms Swaraj, vice-president and country manager of Amazon India, Amit Agarwal, said, “I am writing in connection with the products that carried the Indian flag, as referred to in your tweet ... Amazon India is committed to respecting Indian laws and customs. To the extent that these items offered by a third-party seller in Canada offended Indian sensibilities, Amazon regrets the same. At no time did we intend or mean to offend Indian sentiments.”
The Amazon website selling doormats with the Indian flag on them. (Photo: Screengrab)
He also said Amazon remains steadfastly committed to India, as evident by CEO Jeff Bezos’ announcement in 2016 of the company’s plans to invest $5 billion in India. “We value immensely our relationship with the Indian government, the country’s entrepreneurs and innovators, an most importantly, our Indian customers and employees,” Mr Agarwal said. In his letter, he also explained that a third-party seller, not Amazon, had listed these products for sale in Canada.
“These products were not available in India. After learning of the products’ listing, we immediately removed them from the Canadian website and implemented measures to ensure that these products could not be sold on any of our other marketplaces or websites,” he said.
The reaction from New Delhi came after a person informed Ms Swaraj on Twitter that such a product was being sold by Amazon in Canada and also posted its pictures with the plea that “@SushmaSwaraj Madam. Amazon Canada must be censured and warned not to sell India flag doormats. Please take action”.
Ms Swaraj immediately tweeted, “The Indian High Commission in Canada: This is unacceptable. Please take this up with Amazon at the highest level. Amazon must tender 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 doormats with the Indian flag on it were being sold as “personalised machine-washable durable indoor/outdoor welcome doormats”. However, there were some reports from Toronto a few days ago that Amazon in Canada had already withdrawn the offensive product due to outrage among Indian citizens and persons of Indian origin settled there.
