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16 February 2022 00:26:32

WHO map shows J&K as part of Pakistan, ‘Amazon’ continues to falsify the Map of India and insult our National Flag : HJS demands action

HJS demanded that legal action be taken against ‘Amazon’ for falsifying the Map of India and insulting our National Flag !

Note : The objective in depicting this is not to hurt national sentiments, but to highlight the nature of distortion.

New Delhi – Trinamool Congress (TMC) MP Dr Santanu Sen has written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, saying that the World Health Organisation (WHO) is displaying an incorrect map of India. (Map on right – Courtesy : covid19.who.int)

“When I clicked the site WHO Covid19.int, a world map was displayed, and when I zoomed into the portion of India, it showed a blue map with surprisingly two different colours for Jammu & Kashmir”, Dr Santanu Sen wrote.

Dr Sen said when he clicked over the blue portion, the map was showing him India’s data, but the other portion was showing Pakistan’s Covid-19 data.

Calling it a serious international issue, Dr Sen said that the Indian Government should have checked it and taken up the issue much earlier. He also said that the people of India should be informed as to how such a major mistake is being overlooked.

The maps, including those in the coronavirus dashboard, show the Union Territories of Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh in a different shade than the rest of India. The Shaksgam Valley spread across 5,168 sq kms, which was illegally ceded by Pakistan to China in 1963, is shown as part of China. The Aksai Chin region occupied by China in 1954 is shown in light blue strips, a shade similar to the colour used to depict Chinese territory.

WHO has depicted the distorted map of India since 2021, but put a disclaimer after a warning from the Government of India

The Government had said on 4th February 2021 that the issue of wrong depiction of India’s map on World Health Organisation’s (WHO) website has been raised strongly at the highest level.

Speaking on the issue, Minister of State of the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) V Muraleedharan said the WHO has now put a disclaimer on its portal.

“The disclaimer says designations employed and presentation of these materials don’t imply expression of any opinion on part of WHO concerning legal status of any country, territory or area or of its authorities or concerning legal status of any country, territory or area of its authorities or concerning delimitation of its frontiers or boundaries. Dotted/dashed lines on maps represent approximate border lines for which there may not be full agreement”, V Muraleedharan added.

Nevertheless, Government of India’s position on the right depiction of boundaries is unambiguously reiterated. India has conveyed its ‘deep displeasure’ to WHO Chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus over the issue. The Government has sent three letter so far to the WHO Chief through its mission in Geneva.

‘Amazon’ continues to falsify the Map of India : HJS demands immediate action

The National Flag and the Map of India are the national identity of millions of Indians. The use of the National Flag is covered under the ‘Flag Code of India’. It is a crime to violate any of its directives. It is also a crime to falsify or distort the Map of India. However, in violation of the Flag Code, through its website ‘Amazon’ is selling products such as T-shirts, footwear, etc. which have the Indian National Flag printed on it, as well as vinyl stickers of a distorted Map of India. The company has continued to sell all this without changing anything, even though the matter has been brought to their notice many times earlier.

Amazon’s insults to Indian National Symbols must now stop. HJS’ ‘Surajya Abhiyan’ (Campaign for good Governance) demanded with the Minister for Home Affairs Amit Shah that the Indian Government take immediate legal action unless ‘Amazon’ publicly apologises to the Government and people of India.

This is not the first time ‘Amazon’ is selling vinyl stickers with a Map of India that excludes Pakistan occupied Kashmir and China occupied Kashmir, as well as Tricolour T-shirts and footwear printed with the Ashoka Chakra. ‘Amazon’ has previously denigrated our National Flag by selling ‘Tricolour masks’ and ‘Tricolour hats’. In this regard, under the ‘Surajya Abhiyan’, HJS had already lodged complaints with the Central Government.

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