Economic Affairs Secretary Shaktikanta Das (above left) on Sunday asked Amazon to “behave” and stop being “flippant about Indian symbols and icons”. In a tweet, Das said, “Indifference will be at your own peril”. Later though, he said the remark was made as a “citizen of India as I felt strongly about it. Nothing more should be read into it”.

His comments come soon after External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj pulled up the e-retail company for selling doormats bearing the Indian flag on its Canadian site. Amazon had removed the items and apologised. Swaraj had threatened to cancel visas of Amazon employees and demanded an unconditional apology from the company.

On Sunday, Amazon faced more trouble for selling slippers that had Mahatma Gandhi’s image on them. MEA spokesperson Vikas Swarup had said, “Our ambassador in Washington has been instructed to convey to Amazon that while providing a platform for third party vendors, they should respect Indian sensitivities and sentiments.”