Sushma Swaraj asks Amazon to apologise for insulting national flag

NEW DELHI: India’s foreign minister Sushma Swaraj demanded an unconditional apology from Amazon after a Twitter user said the online retailer’s Canadian unit was selling doormats bearing the likeness of the Indian flag. She threatened to stop issuing visas to the company’s employees and cancel those already granted.

“Amazon must tender unconditional apology,” Swaraj tweeted. “They must withdraw all products insulting our national flag immediately... If this is not done forthwith, we will not grant Indian visa to any Amazon official. We will also rescind the visas issued earlier.”

An official in the foreign ministry said: “It is about a product that denigrates India and the minister's efforts were to get that product removed immediately.” When contacted, Amazon India spokeswoman declined to comment.


Meanwhile, official sources told ET that the Indian High Commission in Ottawa is raising the matter with the Canadian government as well as Amazon office in Toronto and seeking corrective action with immediate effect.

Disrespect to the national flag is a punishable offence in India. It involves a three-year jail term and a fine or both. Products bearing national flags are common abroad. In the US, clothes, towels, crockery and even underwear are sold bearing the image.