'Kali Ma': Netizens call for boycotting Amazon over book cover
What's the story
A controversy has erupted in India over the cover of a book by US author El T Fullah.
The collection of short stories, titled Kali Ma, features an image of Goddess Kali hanging from a noose, surrounded by an angry mob.
The artwork has been widely condemned as culturally insensitive and offensive, sparking calls for a boycott of Amazon for allowing its sale.
Backlash
History of controversies
The controversy surrounding Kali Ma isn't new. When the book was first published in February 2023, it drew major backlash from Indian social media users.
Now, the issue has resurfaced with renewed vigor.
Some users have called for a boycott of Amazon for hurting religious sentiments, and asked people not to place orders on the platform.
Call to action
Cops urged to take action
A video has surfaced on social media, featuring an unidentified man calling for a boycott of Amazon over Fullah's book.
He accused the e-commerce platform of hurting religious sentiments by listing the book and promoting "anti-Hindu" commodities in the past.
In another instance, a user urged police to file a case against Amazon's CEO for listing this book.
Pricing
How much does the book cost?
The user who called for legal action against Amazon's CEO also shared the prices of the book, which are $6.99 (around ₹600 for paperback) and $2.99 (roughly ₹255 for Kindle).
They questioned why such content was being promoted and demanded that Kolkata Police should take legal action against Amazon to teach these "anti-Hindu Sanskriti people" a lesson.
Availability
Book still available in US, UK
Despite the backlash, Kali Ma remains available on Amazon in other countries such as the United States and the United Kingdom. Netizens are now calling for a ban on its sale in these regions too.
The author of the book is an investigative security professional based out of Brooklyn, New York.