Charges against Amazon serious; what RSS says is irrelevant: Congress

RSS-linked weekly Panchjanya has carried a cover story that is highly critical of the e-commerce giant

A day after RSS-linked weekly "Panchjanya" dubbed Amazon as "East India Company 2.0", the Congress on Monday said whatever the Sangh says is irrelevant as it does not say anything in national interest, but in the interest of the ruling BJP.

Congress spokesperson Pawan Khera, however, said the allegations against the US e-commerce giant are serious and cannot be ignored.

"The issue of Amazon is a serious one and it merits everybody's attention. The allegations against Amazon are very serious and they cannot be ignored," he said.

Asked about the comments of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), Khera said, "What the RSS says about Amazon is irrelevant because there is a duet going on between the RSS and the BJP.

"We have seen that duet and they stand exposed in the farmers' agitation. We have seen the dubious role played by the Bharatiya Kisan Sangh as it has not come in support of the farmers even for one day in the last 10 months."

The Congress leader said "nobody takes what the RSS says seriously anymore, because they do not speak the language in national interest, they talk in the interest of the BJP."

Amazon was dubbed as "East India Company 2.0" by "Panchjanya", which has also alleged that the firm has paid crores of rupees in bribes for favourable government policies.

In its latest edition, which will hit the stands on October 3, the RSS-linked weekly has carried a cover story that is highly critical of Amazon.

"Whatever the East India Company did in the 18th century to capture India, the same is visible in the activities of Amazon," the article titled "East India Company 2.0" reads.

Claiming that Amazon wants to establish its monopoly in the Indian market, it says, "For doing so, it has started taking initiatives for seizing the economic, political and personal freedom of the Indian citizens.