Karnataka minister threatens Amazon Canada with legal action over state flag-style bikini

By

Isabelle Crossley

Published
Jun 7, 2021

After a number of Amazon Canada users complained that a bikini for sale on the site featured the colours and emblem of the Karnataka flag, the state’s Kannada and Culture Minister Aravind Limbavali has threatened legal action.

Karnataka Kannada and Culture Minister Aravind Limbavali has called on Amazon Canada to issue an apology for what he feels is an insult to his state’s pride.

“We experienced an insult of Kannada by Google recently,” tweeted Limbavali, referring to a Google search result calling the language “ugly”.

“Even before the scars could heal, we find Amazon Canada using the colours of Kannada flag and the Kannada icon on ladies clothes.”
 
“Multinational companies should stop such repeated insult of Kannada,” Limbavali tweeted on June 5. “This is a matter of Kannadigas' self-pride and we will not tolerate the rise in such incidents. Amazon Canada should, therefore, apologise to Kannadigas. Legal action will be taken immediately against Amazon Canada.”
 
Although Amazon Canada has not yet made an official statement on the matter, the bikini has been removed from its website. The bikini featured the unofficial state flag’s yellow and red hues as well as its emblem of a 'Gandaberunda' two-headed bird.