Amazon does it again

Amazon like many others did understand this sooner than later and took immediate action by pulling out the doormats

Amazon, the global e-tail giant, has gone and done it again. It has repeated its offence even after it tendered an apology under threats from the Indian Government.

 Half way into January, India had threatened a visa boycott against Amazon. External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj was enraged at the  e-commerce company for toying with Indian sentiment and nationalism.
 Started as an online bookstore, Amazon is currently the largest internet retailer in the world. 
Two decades into business, it offended Indian sensibilities by selling doormats bearing the image of a tricolor. 
Swaraj who admirably carries patriotism on her sleeve was stung. In her capacity as Foreign Minister she said that unless Amazon tenders an unconditional apology and withdraws all products insulting India’s tricolor, the government will deny visas to company officials: “Amazon” Swaraj tweeted “must tender an unconditional apology. They must withdraw all products insulting our national flag immediately. 
If this is not done forthwith, we shall not grant Indian visa to any Amazon official. We will also rescind the visas issued earlier”. 
That Sushma means business is well known. Not only is she no-nonsense as far as her work is concerned but completely unforgiving if the national ethos is given a go-by.
 Therefore her words were not an empty threat. It was clear that she would swoop if her diktat was not followed.
 Amazon like many others did understood this sooner than later and took immediate action by pulling out the doormats. It said  that the doormats were never sold on the company’s Indian wing.
 It also underlined that Amazon India is committed to respecting Indian laws and customs. It regretted that these items offered by a third-party seller in Canada offended Indian sensibilities.
Amazon offence was discovered after Atul Bhobe from Navi Mumbai posted screenshots of the products on sale on Amazon Canada's website. "@SushmaSwaraj Madam. Amazon Canada must be censured and warned not to sell India flag doormats. Please take action," Bhobe tweeted. The doormats had invited protests from Indians in Canada, even leading to an online petition.
 True to her style, Swaraj swung into action and told the Indian High Commission in Canada to take this up with Amazon at the highest level. 
But complaints have surfaced yet again about Amazon USA selling flip-flops with Mahatma Gandhi's image and teachings printed on them. 
The slippers are priced at $16.99.
Some Twitter users have complained about this to PM Narendra Modi and MEA Sushma Swaraj on the social media.  
Amazon has made short work of Indian nationalistic sentiments by selling such products with revered Indian icons printed on them.
Amazon's choice of providing Gandhi printed goods not only remains confined to the flip-flops but it has coats for dogs which has image of Mahatma Gandhi printed on it and the seller Amistad terms it 'funny'. The coat sell less than 20 US dollars. 
Whether these products will go the tricolor doormat way remains to be seen. It is however clear that Amazon is a habitual offender and when faced with the threat of action relents only to resurface with something new and different.
 It had touched a new low by listing a woman's shoe for sell on which Indian tri-colour is printed. The shoes were available under title ' ADE Indian Flag Women's Chukka Canvas Shoes M003'. That this product is no longer available and has been removed from its list of products is another matter. The Gandhi image products are continuing.
 That Indian nationalism is a sensitive issue is well known. It is more in focus with the BJP in power. Add to this the fact that Swaraj is unwilling to allow anyone toying with the idea of nationalism.  As Foreign minister of the country, she has immense power to take action and force a back-off.
 There are cynics who brand her warnings as bullying tactics. Yet she has more admirers than critics because for all right minded Indians it is and always has been country first.
 Equally it is true that some want to shed off their intense patriotism for fear of being branded BJP. Among majority of thinking Indians, it is seen as a party that is communal and divisive. Much of this is true.
 The anti BJP rhetoric has sharpened with Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the helm. The Godhra communal riots are unlikely to fade away from memory. Modi was then Chief Minister of the Indian state of Gujarat.
 Under Modi’s current regime, definition of anti nationalism is quite skewed. There have been instances of the government swooping on students and rounding them under charges of sedition. It is no one’s case to allow seperatists or nurture them but it surely is a cause of concern when the government uses that as an alibi to muzzle free speech. That this is happening is a matter of record.
 It is against this backdrop that one is fighting shy of being seen as nationalists. This is more because in today’s India being a nationalist is confused with being BJP. And while that may be okay with rabid Indians, the right minded and the secular population of the country wants to have nothing to do with the BJP. For aspiring Indians, Modi the Prime Minister who intends to take India forward is acceptable but when it comes to the BJP-RSS brand of Modi, there are misgivings.
 This has taken a toll on pure nationalism. The word is more unspoken than spoken. And it is this that is worrying. It also throws up pertinent questions: is it right to be apologetic about one’s sense of nationalism? Simply because the BJP chooses to flag it should we disown our sentiment for the country? Or are we saying that we will allow the BJP to define our nationalism? Also as Indians are we so spineless that simply because a government decides to distort the definition to suit its ends, we abandon the concept? In fact it is in times like this we should not shun the word but embrace it more and make it known both to the government an all that comes with it that the country and the government are not synonymous.
 In times like this we need to propagate the Indian brand of nationalism and underline the Government’s bid to distort it rather than adopt an ostrich like approach and shy away from being nationalists simply because the BJP has hijacked what till now was a truly Indian spirit. It is time to stand up to the BJP and its government rather than brushing the idiom, nationalism or anti nationalism, under the carpet.

The writer is a senior Indian journalist, political commentator and columnist of The Independent. She can be reached at: [email protected]

Amazon does it again

Amazon like many others did understand this sooner than later and took immediate action by pulling out the doormats

Amazon, the global e-tail giant, has gone and done it again. It has repeated its offence even after it tendered an apology under threats from the Indian Government. Half way into January, India had threatened a visa boycott against Amazon. External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj was enraged at the e-commerce company for toying with Indian sentiment and nationalism. Started as an online bookstore, Amazon is currently the largest internet retailer in the world. Two decades into business, it offended Indian sensibilities by selling doormats bearing the image of a tricolor. Swaraj who admirably carries patriotism on her sleeve was stung. In her capacity as Foreign Minister she said that unless Amazon tenders an unconditional apology and withdraws all products insulting Indias tricolor, the government will deny visas to company officials: Amazon Swaraj tweeted must tender an unconditional apology. They must withdraw all products insulting our national flag immediately. If this is not done forthwith, we shall not grant Indian visa to any Amazon official. We will also rescind the visas issued earlier. That Sushma means business is well known. Not only is she no-nonsense as far as her work is concerned but completely unforgiving if the national ethos is given a go-by. Therefore her words were not an empty threat. It was clear that she would swoop if her diktat was not followed. Amazon like many others did understood this sooner than later and took immediate action by pulling out the doormats. It said that the doormats were never sold on the companys Indian wing. It also underlined that Amazon India is committed to respecting Indian laws and customs. It regretted that these items offered by a third-party seller in Canada offended Indian sensibilities. Amazon offence was discovered after Atul Bhobe from Navi Mumbai posted screenshots of the products on sale on Amazon Canadas website. @SushmaSwaraj Madam. Amazon Canada must be censured and warned not to sell India flag doormats. Please take action, Bhobe tweeted. The doormats had invited protests from Indians in Canada, even leading to an online petition. True to her style, Swaraj swung into action and told the Indian High Commission in Canada to take this up with Amazon at the highest level. But complaints have surfaced yet again about Amazon USA selling flip-flops with Mahatma Gandhis image and teachings printed on them. The slippers are priced at $16.99. Some Twitter users have complained about this to PM Narendra Modi and MEA Sushma Swaraj on the social media. Amazon has made short work of Indian nationalistic sentiments by selling such products with revered Indian icons printed on them. Amazons choice of providing Gandhi printed goods not only remains confined to the flip-flops but it has coats for dogs which has image of Mahatma Gandhi printed on it and the seller Amistad terms it funny. The coat sell less than 20 US dollars. Whether these products will go the tricolor doormat way remains to be seen. It is however clear that Amazon is a habitual offender and when faced with the threat of action relents only to resurface with something new and different. It had touched a new low by listing a womans shoe for sell on which Indian tri-colour is printed. The shoes were available under title ADE Indian Flag Womens Chukka Canvas Shoes M003. That this product is no longer available and has been removed from its list of products is another matter. The Gandhi image products are continuing. That Indian nationalism is a sensitive issue is well known. It is more in focus with the BJP in power. Add to this the fact that Swaraj is unwilling to allow anyone toying with the idea of nationalism. As Foreign minister of the country, she has immense power to take action and force a back-off. There are cynics who brand her warnings as bullying tactics. Yet she has more admirers than critics because for all right minded Indians it is and always has been country first. Equally it is true that some want to shed off their intense patriotism for fear of being branded BJP. Among majority of thinking Indians, it is seen as a party that is communal and divisive. Much of this is true. The anti BJP rhetoric has sharpened with Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the helm. The Godhra communal riots are unlikely to fade away from memory. Modi was then Chief Minister of the Indian state of Gujarat. Under Modis current regime, definition of anti nationalism is quite skewed. There have been instances of the government swooping on students and rounding them under charges of sedition. It is no ones case to allow seperatists or nurture them but it surely is a cause of concern when the government uses that as an alibi to muzzle free speech. That this is happening is a matter of record. It is against this backdrop that one is fighting shy of being seen as nationalists. This is more because in todays India being a nationalist is confused with being BJP. And while that may be okay with rabid Indians, the right minded and the secular population of the country wants to have nothing to do with the BJP. For aspiring Indians, Modi the Prime Minister who intends to take India forward is acceptable but when it comes to the BJP-RSS brand of Modi, there are misgivings. This has taken a toll on pure nationalism. The word is more unspoken than spoken. And it is this that is worrying. It also throws up pertinent questions: is it right to be apologetic about ones sense of nationalism? Simply because the BJP chooses to flag it should we disown our sentiment for the country? Or are we saying that we will allow the BJP to define our nationalism? Also as Indians are we so spineless that simply because a government decides to distort the definition to suit its ends, we abandon the concept? In fact it is in times like this we should not shun the word but embrace itmore and make it known both to the government an all thatcomes with it that the country and the government are notsynonymous. In times like this we need to propagate the Indian brand of nationalism and underline the Governments bid to distort it rather than adopt an ostrich like approach and shy away from being nationalists simply because the BJP has hijacked what till now was a truly Indian spirit. It is time to stand up to the BJP and its government rather than brushing the idiom, nationalism or anti nationalism, under the carpet. The writer is a senior Indianjournalist, political commentator and columnist of The Independent. She can be reached at: [email protected]