New Delhi: India on Saturday asked its ambassador to the United States “to convey to Amazon, that while providing a platform for third party vendors, they should respect Indian sensitivities and sentiments”.
The stern warning comes on the heals of the doormat controversy, and on a day when external affairs minister Sushma Swaraj reportedly received several complaints about Amazon selling flip-flops with Mahatma Gandhi’s image on them.
Earlier this week Amazon had pulled out the offending doormats from its website in Canada after Ms Swaraj threatened to revoke the visas of all Amazon officials and not grant any visas henceforth to them unless the company apologised for selling these offensive items.
Some Twitter users reportedly tagged Ms Swaraj in their tweets complaining that beach sandals with Gandhiji’s image were being sold on Amazon’s US site. News agency PTI quoted the posting on the Amazon as saying, “CafePress — Gandhi Flip Flops — Flip Flops, Funny Thong Sandals, Beach Sandals” with a listed price of $16.99.
