Centre Sends Notices to e-Commerce Giants for Selling Pakistani Flags, Merchandise
- Central Consumer Protection Authority (CCPA) issues notices to Amazon India, Flipkart, Ubuy India, Etsy, The Flag Company, and The Flag Corporation.
- Directs immediate removal of Pakistani national flag merchandise from digital storefronts.
- Consumer Affairs Minister Pralhad Joshi calls sale of such items 'insensitive' and 'unacceptable'.
In a firm action reflecting national sentiment, the Central Consumer Protection Authority (CCPA) has sent formal notices to top e-commerce websites like Amazon India and Flipkart, asking them to remove products with the Pakistani national flag immediately. The order also includes niche websites like Ubuy India, Etsy, The Flag Company, and The Flag Corporation.
Consumer Affairs Minister Pralhad Joshi made the move through a social media statement on Wednesday, claiming that 'such insensitivity will not be tolerated'. The statement is related to the availability of Pakistani flags and merchandise on the internet, which has elicited widespread resentment in the midst of increased Indo-Pak tension.
"The CCPA issued notices to @amazonIN, @Flipkart, @UbuyIndia, @Etsy, The Flag Company, and The Flag Corporation for selling Pakistani flags and merchandise", the minister tweeted on X. "E-commerce portals are hereby instructed to immediately take down all such content and follow national laws", he added.
While no specific legislation was quoted as having been infringed, the action by the government is obviously motivated by fears of public opinion and national security. Peddling items featuring symbols of a country with which India has a contentious relationship particularly during recent cross-border hostilities is unacceptable.
The order came after the April 22 terrorist strike in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir, where 26 civilians died. The strike, which was traced to terror groups based in Pakistan, evoked a sharp military retaliation from India in the form of Operation Sindoor on May 7, in which nine terror camps in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir were attacked.
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Tensions escalated further after Islamabad responded with drone and missile strikes. Both nations promised a ceasefire on May 11, mediated by U.S. President Donald Trump, but the peace was temporary. Pakistani drones were intercepted over Indian territories such as Jammu, Srinagar, Punjab, and Rajasthan shortly after the agreement.
In such an atmosphere of heightened hostility, the government action against e-commerce sites is an attempt to limit anything that might be seen as being disrespectfully or provocatively oriented. The CCPA's initiative mirrors a larger attitude of zero tolerance for any perceived slackening of national dignity and security.
