Economic Affairs Secretary Shaktikanta Das was branded as ‘low IQ’ troll after his ‘intemperate’ tweet targetting Amazon website did not go down well with the social media users and journalists alike.
“Amazon, better behave. Desist from being flippant about? Indian symbols & icons. Indifference will be at your own peril,” he tweeted.
Das’s tweets came in the backdrop of reports of US-based e-commerce giant Amazon putting up on sale flip-flops with Mahatma Gandhi’s image on their website.
Last week, after a strong protest by India over Amazon selling doormats depicting Indian flag, the e-retail giant removed the offensive article from its Canadian website.
No sooner had the DEA secretary posted his tweet, many prominent users on Twitter chided him for his poor language.
Sir why dont you post a dos and donts for e-commerce firms on your website instead of intemperate public tweets. Evolve a protocol for biz. https://t.co/TwfYJdBSBE
— Pankaj Pachauri (@PankajPachauri) January 15, 2017
Intemperate language it is.
Goonish behaviour does not behove GOI Secys. https://t.co/u2nVwjJ6UN— Man Aman Chhina (@manaman_chhina) January 15, 2017
. @DasShaktikanta pls don’t tweet like a #LowIQSanghi. Ur a bureaucrat not a paid troll or a politician. Don’t shame India by stupid rants.
— Suryanarayan Ganesh (@gsurya) January 15, 2017
So @DasShaktikanta it’s OK for @Flipkart to sell potentially insulting goods featuring US flag? Should @realDonaldTrump cancel their visas? pic.twitter.com/kWNCjBeZkl
— Mahesh Murthy (@maheshmurthy) January 15, 2017
@DasShaktikanta You are a senior bureaucrat, not some street level thug. Behave your designation, if not your age, sir. Shame!
— Vaibhav Vishal (@ofnosurnamefame) January 15, 2017
Faced with instant condemnation, Das took to microblogging site to clarify that he had tweeted in the capacity of an Indian citizen.
He said, “Comment on amazon was as a citizen of India as I felt strongly about it. Nothing more should be read into it.”
Comment on amazon was as a citizen of India as I felt strongly about it. Nothing more should be read into it.
— Shaktikanta Das (@DasShaktikanta) January 15, 2017
Also realising a potential damage to the image of the Indian government, Das posted another tweet.
“Remain committed to economic reforms, ease of doing business & open trade. Sometimes get touchy when our icons are involved,” Das tweeted.
Remain committed to economic reforms,ease of doing business & open trade.Sometimes get touchy when our icons are involved.
— Shaktikanta Das (@DasShaktikanta) January 15, 2017
Many, however felt that Das, who is at the fag end of his career, may have posted the tweet to make the Centre’s BJP government to secure a decent post-retirement incentive.
