External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj’s threat has worked. International online retailer Amazon has withdrawn doormats that depict the Indian tricolour from its portal. The product was available internationally from an Amazon merchant in Canada. Following the minister’s three tweets, the Indian mission in Ottawa took up the issue with Amazon’s office in Canada. Sushma warned that if Amazon did not remove the item from its goods on sale, India would not grant visa to its staff. Even the visas granted could be rescinded. It was too strong a warning that the retailer which has invested heavily in India could have ignored only at its peril.
As it transpires, the Canada dealer sells doormats that depict the national flags of other countries like Britain and the US too. Even now, it is possible for anyone in the world to order such a doormat. Amazon has made an exception in the case of only India. In some countries like the US, people are even free to use their country’s flags as underwear. In India, however, there is the flag code that describes how it should be used. Insulting the national fl ag is considered a serious offence for which punishments are fixed. Given this situation, the minister has done the right thing in strongly protesting against the sale of offensive doormats.
It is the second time that Amazon had to take remedial action. Earlier, it had to remove doormats that depicted Hindu deities. It should have occurred to Amazon that it should not sell merchandise considered offensive by any nation. True, it does not know all the items that a merchant makes available to the international buyer through its portal. However, once the complaint reaches the company, it should have the sensitivity to remove them from sale and not wait for stringent action from the government. But there are a number of small traders who peddle similar offensive items. Is it feasible for the government to take action against them as well?