Lawrence Bishnoi T-Shirts on Flipkart, Meesho Spark Outrage

Bengaluru-based e-commerce sites Flipkart and Meesho are selling T-shirts featuring notorious gangster Lawrence Bishnoi's images. What is worrisome, however, is the fact that such gangster-themed merchandise does exist, and is accessible to children. Journalist Alishan Jafri brought the issue to public attention, labeling it a troubling example of India's online radicalisation.

Flipkart, Meesho Criticized for Selling Lawrence Bishnoi T-Shirts

Sharing screenshots of these T-shirts on X (formerly Twitter), he pointed out that platforms like Meesho and Teeshopper are actively selling gangster merchandise. Jafri wrote, "People are literally selling gangster merchandise on platforms like Meesho and Teeshopper. This is just one example of India's latest online radicalisation. 

Jafri posted that despite the police and the NIA trying to tell the youth not to join the gangs, some social media influencers are making money because of this gang-related post and are making gangsters famous. He shared a screenshot of a white tee with Lawrence Bishnoi's picture on it, with the slogans "Gangster" and "Real Hero" printed on it, which could be bought at as low as ₹168.

Also Read: Ajmer Youth Idolizes Gangster Lawrence Bishnoi

The whole controversy has triggered a tidal wave of criticism against e-commerce platforms, as several are concerned that selling such items is giving glory to criminal figures, which would influence impressionable young buyers. The e-commerce platform Meesho, which connects suppliers, resellers, and customers and largely relies on social media for sales, is now in the headlines over these products. Many users call for a review of the policies of the platforms to ensure that such sales are prevented, considering that online marketplaces have a responsibility to monitor the content offered on their platforms.