Internet users are furious after sellers on e-commerce platform Amazon put up tricolour themed items of everyday use ahead of Republic Day. Amid the rising COVID-19 cases, mostly caused by the Omicron variant, vendors who once sold tricoloured merchandise on the streets and in stores ahead of Republic Day have now turned to e-commerce platforms like Amazon.

Netizens were particularly enraged after finding certain items with the Indian National flag printed on them, such as shoes, toilet seat covers, slippers, face masks and other items.

This resulted in trends like #BoycottAmazon and #Amazon_Insults_National_Flag, on Twitter, on January 24. Netizens expressed their anger against the platform by asking their fellow citizens to boycott Amazon.

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One user tweeted, ''Amazon Making & Selling Masks, T-shirts, Keychains, Gift Baskets etc. resembling the Indian flag. The Indian Govt must take legal Actions against Amozon

Another user tweeted, “The Flag Code of India (2002) states the flag shall not be used as a portion of costume nor shall it be embroidered/printed upon cushions, handkerchiefs, napkins or any dress material. Action must be taken against Amazon.”

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Last year e-commerce platform Myntra came under fire when an old poster reappeared on it. In spite of the fact that the poster was not made by the online fashion retailer, the hashtag #BoycottMyntra trended on Twitter. The poster was made by a company called ScrollDroll and first appeared in August 2016. ScrollDroll also explained that the poster was not related to Myntra.

The poster depicted 'Draupadi Chirharan,’ an episode from the epic Mahabharata. The picture showed Lord Krishna looking for 'extra-long sarees' on Myntra's website, and netizens didn't seem to like it.

In a clarification given to the press, Myntra said the creative was made and posted without its knowledge or approval by a third party (ScrollDroll). The company also took down the illustration and publicly apologised for it.

(Edited by : Shoma Bhattacharjee)

First Published:Jan 24, 2022 8:17 PM IST