Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos (right) with actor Shah Rukh Khan and movie director Zoya Akhtar at an event in Mumbai on Thursday
Bharatiya Janata Party’s (BJP Foreign Policy Cell incharge Vijay Chauthaiwale on Friday accused American news publication Washington Post of being biased against India in their news coverage, in the latest attack against Amazon global CEO Jeff Bezos by the ruling party. Washington Post is owned by Nash Holdings, a company held by Bezos.
Chauthaiwale’s remarks against Washington Post came during an interview with news agency Reuters, amid the ongoing three-day visit of Bezos to India. "I am not opposing Amazon as a company. In fact, I am a regular customer,” Bezos was quoted as saying by Reuters.
“Jeff Bezos should go home and tell Washington Post about his impression of India," Chauthaiwale reportedly went on.
"The Washington Post editorial policy is highly biased and agenda-driven," Reuters quoted him as saying.
The remarks come a day after Union Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal remarked that Amazon wasn’t doing India any favour by pledging an investment of $1 billion in the country.
“If they are investing money in India just to finance their losses, especially in an e-commerce model, where they are losing $1 billion on every $10 billion that they are investing, then it certainly raises questions,” the minister said during a panel discussion at Raisina Dialogue, an annual foreign policy conference in New Delhi.
“Where did the loss come from? How could a marketplace make such a big loss, unless they are indulging in unfair pricing and predatory trade practises?” he questioned.
Quoting from media reports that the Competition Commission of India (CCI) had initiated a probe into the business practises of Amazon, Goyal noted that the matter was of concern to every Indian.
They are being investigated and there will be answers soon, he said.
Bezos not to meet PM Modi, Piyush Goyal
Bezos was earlier slated to meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi. However, as per media reports, the meeting will not happen now as Amazon's appointment for the same was declined.
If further reports are to be believed, this was communicated to Amazon last month. Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal was also slated to meet Bezos, however, the same will not happen this time.
If the buzz is to be believed, the critical stand that Washington Post has been taking on India’s August decision to scrap Article 370 as well last month’s passage of the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) hasn’t gone down too well with the government.
Also read: Amazon not doing India a favour by investing $1 billion, says Piyush Goyal
