New Delhi: The Confederation of All India Traders (CAIT) on Tuesday wrote a letter to union commerce minister Piyush Goyal and consumer affairs minister Pralhad Joshi, demanding an immediate ban on the sale of Pakistani flags and related items on e-commerce platforms like Amazon and Flipkart.Amid the ongoing ‘Operation Sindoor‘, CAIT expressed concern over the sale of Pakistani flags, mugs, and T-shirts with national symbols online, calling it “deeply disturbing” while Indian soldiers are risking their lives for the nation.“I write to express my deep concem over a matter that strikes at the very core of our national sentiment and sovereignty. It has come to light that Pakistani flags, logo-bearing mugs, and T-shirts are being openly sold on major e-commerce platforms such as Amazon and Flipkart,” BC Bhartia, National President of CAIT, wrote in the letter.“This disturbing situation unfolds even as our valiant armed forces are actively engaged in Operation Sindoor — a mission of critical national importance against Pakistan,” he added.The operation launched on May 7, targeted nine terrorist sites in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir, which came in response to the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack that killed 26 people, mostly tourists.The industry body emphasised that during this period when our military personnel are exhibiting exceptional bravery and making supreme sacrifices to protect our borders, it is both inappropriate and unacceptable to engage in commercial activities involving products that represent an adversarial nation.“Such actions by e-commerce platforms reflect a blatant disregard for the dignity of our armed forces, the sovereignty of India, and the emotions of every patriotic Indian citizen,” CAIT stated in its letter.“This is not merely an oversight — it is a grave insult to our armed forces and a threat to national unity. It reflects a blatant disregard for India’s sovereignty and patriotic sentiment,” it added.
The traders’ body has urged the government to take the following steps:
- Immediate ban on the sale of Pakistani flags, symbols, and merchandise across all Indian e-commerce platforms.
- Investigation into how such items were listed and allowed for sale.
- Strict compliance measures, including penal action or suspension of platforms that fail to adhere to national sensitivity.
- Clear directives to all platforms banning the sale of any product that could undermine national security or insult public sentiment.
CAIT stressed that this is not a matter of commercial liberty but of national pride and security. The organization called for swift and firm action, warning that failure to address the issue could damage public morale and create further outrage.“This is a matter of national honor, not commercial freedom,” CAIT concluded.
