Two Indian businessmen who caused an international outcry after naming their clothes store ‘Hitler’ and using the Swastika as a logo have said their will now rename the shop.
Their climbdown followed days of intense political pressure and protests from Britain, the United States, Germany and Israel. Local Jewish groups had visited the shop in Ahmedabad, Gujarat last week to register their anger.Rajesh Shah and his partner Manish Chandani had initially defended their choice of name and feigned ignorance about the Nazi dictator and his holocaust against the Jews. Mr Shah said they had picked ‘Hitler’ because it was the nick-name of an uncle known for his strictness.
But their use of the Nazi swastika, which is an ancient auspicious Hindu symbol, convinced protestors the choice had been cynical. The two men appeared to enjoy the publicity their new store received in the controversy and refused to change its name.On Monday evening they finally backed down after being besieged by telephone calls from protestors. Rajesh Shah said they had been under ‘political pressure’ from local officials and protestors from all over the world.“We received at least ten phone calls every day from the US, the UK, Dubai, Germany and Israel. It was getting very annoying, as many of these people called at odd hours,” he told the Indian Express. – Telegraph
