'East India Company 2.0': RSS-linked magazine lashes out at Amazon for 'paying bribes'

By Team Newsable | First Published Sep 27, 2021, 4:04 PM IST

Amazon is embroiled in a legal battle over the acquisition of Future Group and is being investigated by the Competition Commission of India (CCI).

Amazon has been dubbed "East India Company 2.0" by the RSS-linked monthly Panchjanya, claiming that the company has paid bribes worth crores of rupees in exchange for favourable government policies. Panchjanya's current issue, which will be available on October 3, features a cover article that is harshly critical of Amazon. "Whatever the East India Company accomplished to seize India in the 18th century is apparent in Amazon's actions," the piece titled "East India Company 2.0" stated.

Amazon claims it intends to build a monopoly in the Indian market and adds, "To that end, it has begun pursuing measures to seize the economic, political, and personal freedom of Indian citizens." The article hits out at Amazon's video platform, Prime Video, for distributing movies and television programmes that are anti-Indian culture. It further claims that Amazon has set up several proxies and that "there are rumours that it has disbursed crores in bribes for policies in its favour." Amazon is embroiled in a legal battle over the acquisition of Future Group and is being investigated by the Competition Commission of India (CCI).

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Also Read | 'Zero tolerance,' says Amazon amid reports of corruption claims being investigated in India

According to sources, the US e-commerce behemoth is examining suspected bribery made by its legal representatives in India, and it spent a whopping Rs 8,546 crore (USD 1.2 billion) on legal fees to retain a presence in the nation from 2018 to 20. The biggest opposition party in Congress has sought a Supreme Court-monitored investigation into the alleged bribery case involving Amazon.

Previously, RSS affiliate Swadeshi Jagaran Manch sought action against e-commerce players such as Amazon to circumvent regulations that harm merchants' interests and engage in unethical business methods. This is not the first time Panchjanya has aimed at businesses. In an unprecedented attack on IT behemoth Infosys, the RSS-affiliated journal claimed that the Bengaluru-based company was actively attempting to destabilise the Indian economy, accusing it of assisting 'Naxals, Leftists, and tukde tukde gang.'

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