Amazon, a web based retail giant is facing another commotion in India. First it was the Indian Flag door mats being sold by Amazon Canada, now Amazon USA is selling flip-flops that have Mahatma Gandhi’s face over them.
Mahatma Gandhi is still revered in India and is considered the father of the country.
The company’s senior management needs to sit down and take a serious overview of its marketing strategy. It needs to recognize that as a global company it needs to understand and respect other countries and their cultures. Maybe it should have sit downs with HSBC, the multinational bank that prides itself on being a global bank that understands local cultures.
This latest faux pas by Amazon is literally coming a few days after, the last hula boo they faced over the selling of Indian flag doormats. Indian politicians and in particular, after Sushma Swaraj India’s external affair’s minister, personally took up the matter about Amazon’s policy of selling doormats with the Indian flag. She also threatened to revoke Amazon personnel visa’s on this issue.
Amazon must tender unconditional apology. They must withdraw all products insulting our national flag immediately.
— Sushma Swaraj (@SushmaSwaraj) January 11, 2017
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
read more: Sushma Swaraj trolls Amazon Canada for Selling Indian Flag doormats
Indian Americans started another campaign this time one of them noted that Amazon was selling flip flop sandals with Mahatma Gandhi’s face on them.
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
This time Shaktikanta Das, Indian government’s Secretary of Economic Affairs, expressed her anger on twitter, condemning Amazon for its “indifference to Indian symbols” would be “at your own peril”.
Amazon, better behave. Desist from being flippant about Indian symbols & icons. Indifference will be at your own peril.
— Shaktikanta Das (@DasShaktikanta) January 15, 2017
After the flag fiasco Amazon’s India vice-president, Amit Agarwal, had written to Sushma Swaraj, explaining the products had been offered by a third-party seller and there had been no intent to offend. He later issued a statement saying that the company was “committed to respecting Indian laws and customs”.
As of this morning, the offending flip flops are still being sold by Amazon USA. (www.amazon.com)