India on Wednesday threatened to deny visa to Amazon officials unless the global e-commerce giant apologises for trying to sell tricolour doormats in Canada.
External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj took to Twitter to read out the riot act to Amazon, which recently triggered a controversy in Canada by trying to sell doormats themed on the national flag of India.
She also threatened to withdraw the visas already issued to the officials of the e-commerce company for their visits to India. “Amazon must tender unconditional apology. They must withdraw all products insulting our national flag immediately,” Sushma tweeted.
“If this is not done forthwith, we will not grant Indian visa to any Amazon official,” she said.
“We will also rescind the visas issued earlier,” Sushma added.
The minister also asked acting High Commissioner of Canada to India, Arun Kumar Sahu, to lodge a protest with the top brass of Amazon.
“Indian High Commission in Canada: This is unacceptable. Please take this up with Amazon at the highest level,” Sushma said in another tweet.
The minister swung into action after a Twitter user, Atul Bhobe, posted a screenshot of the Amazon Canada portal where the doormats themed on the national flag of India were put up for sale.
The Indian community in Canada as well as social media users strongly reacted after Amazon Canada started selling the doormats, themed not only on the tricolour of India, but also on national flags of other countries.
3,000 signatories
An online petition was signed by over 3,000 people to force Amazon to apologise and remove the tricolour doormats from its site.
The strong protests over social media forced the e-commerce major to remove them from its portal.
Published 11 January 2017, 20:24 IST