E-commerce major Amazon sure the felt the heat of thousands of resentful Hindus as they featured doormats featuring Hindu gods, to sell. While the online portal does not have anything to do with the designing of the mats, it was international brand Rock Bull, selling products featuring Indian gods and goddesses, on the website.
#BoycottAmazon began to trend on the internet and people demanded action against the company. It isn't just Hindu gods shown on the mats, some also feature Jesus and Quran. The same seller also has mouse pads, phone covers, and wall frames with the same pictures on them. Rajan Zed, president of the Universal Society of Hinduism said, "Images of Hindu gods Shiva, Vishnu, Krishna, Ganesha, Venkateshwara, Saraswati, Murugan, Durga, Hanuman and Padmanabha, are depicted in the doormats. The gods are meant to be worshipped in temples, shrines and homes. The images of gods are not meant doormats." Zed urged Amazon.com and its President Jeffrey P. Bezos to offer a formal apology, besides withdrawing about 67 objectionable doormats. He said that such trivialisation of Hindu deities, temples and saint was disturbing to the Hindus world over. Hindus were for free artistic expression and speech as much as anybody else if not more. But faith was something sacred and attempts at trivialising it hurt the followers, Zed added.
While the products have since been removed, paintings and wall frames that are "less offensive" are still listed for sale. Users posted screenshots of the products along with the hashtag, to hit out at the e-commerce giant. Some also pointed to products showing the Indian flag. Amazon, meanwhile has blocked the pages of all controversial products.
