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"This time I will choose a non-controversial name," assured a co-owner of the unfortunately named 'Hitler' menswear shop. Ajit Solanki/AP

Owners of 'Hitler' clothing shop: 'We didn't know who he was'

The owners of an Indian menswear store said they thought ‘Hitler’ was just the nickname given to a strict grandfather.

THE OWNERS of a newly-opened menswear shop in India have agreed to change the name of the shop – not realising its connotations for their town’s Jewish population.

Rajesh Shah agreed to change the name of his outlet – opened last month under the unfortunate name of ‘Hitler’ – saying he had not known about the Nazi leader.

“Yes, we are planning to change the name,” he told the BBC.

“There has been too much political pressure from the government.”

A co-owner had an unusual explanation for the choice of name – saying he only knew ‘Hitler’ as being a nickname for his grandfather, who he remembered as being very strict.

“I was not aware of Hitler being responsible for the killings of six million people before the shop’s inauguration,” Manish Chandani told AFP – in spite of his shop’s logo including a small swastika over the letter I in its name.

“This time I will choose a non-controversial name,” he assured.

The owners say they have been promised some compensation from the authorities in Ahmedabad who had asked them to reconsider the name.

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