Meesho Faces Backlash for Selling T-Shirt Glorifying Gangster Lawrence Bishnoi

After a T-shirt with the likeness of infamous mobster Lawrence Bishnoi became on sale, online retailer Meesho is under fire. Labelling Bishnoi as "The Real Hero," the article rapidly generated controversy on social media as detractors said the site supported criminals and exalted violence.

Filmmaker Alishan Jafri's tweet on X (previously Twitter) highlighting the T-shirt listing started the debate. The fact that such products were being offered for as little as Rs 166 startled Jafri since they were easily available to a large audience including youth. He voiced worry that by linking criminals with heroism, internet sites like Meesho were helping India's young people to become radicalised.

The T-shirt in issue included the text "The Real Hero" beside the picture of Bishnoi, a person infamous for his criminal activity. Considered a wanted gangster with ties to well-publicized crimes, Bishnoi has been in the headlines for his claimed affiliations to multiple gang-related events. Jafri's article sparked questions over the impact such items could have, particularly on young brains still developing.

Jafri called the scenario in one of his tweets "India's latest online radicalisation". He continued not stopping at Bishnoi; he noted that identical T-shirts showing other criminals, such as Durlabh Kashyap, were also being sold on websites like Teeshopper. Selling such goods, Jafri cautioned, could unintentionally encourage respect for those engaged in illicit activity and violence, so undermining the efforts of authorities including the police and the National Investigation Agency (NIA), trying to stop young people from joining gangs.

Many social media users joined in the protest, expressing worry about how these products would affect the younger generation negatively. One commenter noted, "Shame on Meesho and similar websites," while another remarked, "So Meesho loves gangsters and promotes them on kids' apparel." Whoa! Others expressed their disbelief and demanded an instant stop to the sale of such goods, therefore encouraging the platform to take ownership for the listed products.

The matter has spurred a more general discussion on how web platforms should control the material they carry. Critics contend that businesses like Meesho should take more action to guarantee they are not inadvertently endorsing criminal or destructive ideas, especially given the involvement of people well-known for their violent activities. Selling such products begs significant issues regarding the accountability of online stores in selecting and curating the products they present to customers.

Meesho has not yet released an official comment on the issue, but the reaction is mounting. Especially among young, sensitive users, the incident emphasises the growing scrutiny of online platforms in a time when the internet can both influence and shape public opinions. Meesho is under pressure right now to answer and provide clarification on the selling of such divisive goods.

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