Amazon has pulled out the Mahatma Gandhi flip flops after India objected.
After a huge outrage in India, retail giant Amazon has pulled out the flip-flops bearing the face of Mahatma Gandhi. The External Affairs Ministry, which had taken up the issue after intervention by foreign minister Sushma Swaraj, today said the product is no longer being sold.
External Affairs ministry spokesperson Vikas Swarup said, "After the tweets of Minister Sushma Swaraj, our envoy in Washington told Amazon that while providing a platform to third party vendors, they should respect sentiments of Indians."
Mr Swarup said the ministry has been in touch with Amazon in New Delhi and Washington. "The talks have been constructive and the items have been pulled off," he added.
The spotlight on flip flops came days after the sale of Indian flag doormats by Amazon Canada had triggered a furore in India. After her attention was drawn to the doormats on Twitter, Ms Swaraj, livid, demanded that Amazon withdraw the mats and apologise or face trouble with Visa.
The Minister had tweeted:
Within days, Amazon withdrew the product and apologized - but not before a fresh controversy was triggered. Tweeple pointed to the sale of the flip flops with the face of Mahatma Gandhi, posting screen grabs and expressing outrage.
Economic Affairs Secretary Shaktikanta Das asked Amazon to stop being flippant about Indian symbols and icons, warning that the "indifference" will be at its "own peril".
"Amazon, better behave. Desist from being flippant about Indian symbols & icons. Indifference will be at your own peril," Mr Das said in a tweet.
In another tweet, he added: "Comment on Amazon was as a citizen of India as I felt strongly about it. Nothing more should be read into it."