'Kannada flag bikini': Amazon hurting sentiments of Kannadigas, says HDK

Bengaluru: Former Chief Minister HD Kumaraswamy on Sunday, June 6 asked the Karnataka government to take action against Amazon Canada for selling women’s innerwear and lingerie products printed with colours of the Karnataka flag and icon.

“Amazon is hurting the sentiments of Kannadigas,” Kumaraswamy said, adding that the state government should teach them a lesson.

“Karnataka government must proceed towards taking action against Amazon, they are hurting the sentiments of the Kannadigas. Being a Canadian company, they must abide by the feelings and sentiments of the people. Google made a similar mistake and apologized later. Now it is Amazon’s turn. The Karnataka must teach them a proper lesson legally,” he said.

He further called the produce ‘inappropriate’ and ‘obnoxious’.

Amazon came under the Karnataka government’s scanner on Saturday when the Canadian unit of the company was allegedly found selling a bikini with the Kannada state flag (yellow and red) and the state emblem on it.

“Legal action will be taken against Amazon Canada, which uses the colours of the Kannada flag and the state emblem of Karnataka on panties,” said Karnataka’s Minister for Forest, Kannada and Culture Arvind Limbawali in a statement on Saturday.

Earlier on Thursday, the state government said that it will take legal action against Google after a search result on its platform showed Kannada as the “ugliest language” in India.