RSS Magazine 'Organiser' Accuses Amazon Of Funding Religious Conversions In Northeast India

The Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS)-linked weekly Organiser has accused the e-commerce giant Amazon of funding religious conversions in Northeast India.

In its latest issue, the Organiser has accused Amazon of funding conversions to Christianity in Northeast India. 

Sharing the magazine cover on Twitter, Organiser wrote, "Crackdown on foreign Christian missionaries by certain Northeast governments exposes the sinister designs, visa violations, and corporate nexus in changing the demography of the region."

The issue carries two stories addressing the issue, titled Cross Connection and Nexus of Foreign Proselytisers. The 'Cross' is a reference to the Christian Cross. 

The Organiser also said Amazon could also be involved in money laundering.

"E-commerce giant Amazon is financing the Christian conversion module run by American Baptist Church (ABM). There is a possibility of a money laundering ring run by multinational companies and ABM to fund India's huge missionary conversion mission," said Organiser.

The Organiser further said the Social Justice Forum of Arunachal Pradesh had alleged that Amazon was "continuously funding the All India Mission (AIM), the frontal organisation of ABM, through its foundation Amazon Smile".

"Amazon is sponsoring the conversion module of All India Mission by donating money against every purchase by an Indian," the magazine alleged, adding that AIM had openly claimed on its website that it had converted 25,000 people to Christianity in northeast India.

RSS-linked magazines have been critical of Amazon and termed it as "East India Company 2.0". RSS-linked Hindi weekly Panchjanya in October last year had alleged that the company had paid crores of rupees in bribes for favourable government policies.

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

Not just the right-wing RSS and its affiliates, but the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Narendra Modi government have also been critical of Amazon, particularly over its founder Jeff Bezos's connection with The Washington Post newspaper. Bezos-owned The Post has often been critical of Modi and that was considered one of the reasons why Modi and his government snubbed Bezos when he visited India in January 2020.

NDTV at the time reported, "The perceived snub to the world's richest man with an estimated net worth of $115 billion has been linked to articles critical of the government in the Jeff Bezos- owned Washington Post."

BJP's foreign affairs in-charge Dr Vijay Chauthaiwale tweeted a clip of Bezos and said he should tell good things about India to "employees in Washington DC". This was an apparent reference to The Post. 

Chauthaiwale told Reuters, "I am not opposing Amazon as a company, in fact I am a regular customer...Jeff Bezos should go home tell Washington Post what is his impression about India. The Washington Post editorial policy is highly biased and agenda driven."

(With PTI inputs)