New Delhi: Social media users in India expressed anger at e-commerce giant Amazon Tuesday for selling underwear and doormats with Hindu sacred symbols on its overseas websites.
As #BoycottAmazon trended on Twitter, the parent company Amazon.com Inc., issued a statement saying it had taken down the product listings from its websites.
“All sellers must follow our selling guidelines and those who do not will be subject to action including potential removal of their account,” said Amazon.
But social media users continued to share screenshots of doormats and underwear emblazoned with various insignia of Hinduism, according to a Reuters report.
BJP spokesperson Gaurav Goel also took to Twitter, saying, “We too have religious sentiments. Don’t violate Section 295A. The section says that any person deliberately and maliciously intended to outrage religious feelings can be punished for the term prescribed or extended up to 3 years.”
We too have religious sentiments. Don't violate Section 295A.
The section says that any person deliberatly and maliciously intended to outrage religious feelings can be punished for the term prescribed or extended upto 3 years.#BoycottAmazon
— Gaurav Goel (@goelgauravbjp) November 10, 2020
Many others similarly expressed outrage, with some also commenting that Amazon was “demeaning Hinduism”.
#BoycottAmazon
Amazon dnt check our tolerance.
U hv been quite oftn hurting our Religious Sentiments deliberatly & at times forcd 2 withdraw ur products bt seems u dnt wanna pay heed.U dare nt hv pics of Prophet or Christ thn y our Lords?
Too scared of Francebeheading, Aren't u? pic.twitter.com/Znzx96PL80— Sanatan Women (@SanatanWomen) November 10, 2020
#BoycottAmazon
IS THIS A JOKE ???????? pic.twitter.com/HIFhy3qfJY— Aditi // self stan acc (@Babyyyyaddy) November 10, 2020
From selling disturbing images of Maa Sita and Maa Kali printed on t-shirts to ‘Om’ and images of Bhagwan Shiva printed on doormats and underwear, Amazon seems to have no issue in demeaning Hinduism. #BoycottAmazon trends on Twitter. pic.twitter.com/V8M6pVvnaQ
— The Arth India (@thearthindia) November 10, 2020
The Reuters report also noted that several of the product listings on Amazon’s websites were controlled by sellers and not directly by the company.
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Previous uproars
This, however, wasn’t the first time that the e-commerce giant has faced flak for its products. In 2017, the Narendra Modi government had threatened to rescind visas of Amazon employees in India if it did not stop the sale of doormats with the tricolour on its Canadian website, said the report recalled.
In 2019, again, the firm’s US website sold toilet seat covers sporting images of Hindu gods, leading to an uproar in India.
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