'Traders are chowkidar of Indian economy'
Traders across the country on Tuesday burnt Chinese goods to protest China's move to use its veto in the UN Security Council against declaration of JeM chief Masood Azhar as a "global terrorist", a statement of the Confederation of All Indian Traders said.
China for the fourth time blocked a bid in the United Nations Security Council last week to designate the Pakistan-based chief of Jaish-e-Mohammed as "global terrorist" by putting a technical hold on the proposal, a move India termed as disappointing.
"Traders are chowkidar (watchman) of Indian economy, thus the trade from China will not flourish here any more," Praveen Khandelwal, CAIT secretary general, said.
Whoever stands against the national security of India, the traders will boycott the goods of that country, he said.
On the call of CAIT, traders across the country gave a strong message to China by burning Chinese goods ahead of Holi festival. In Delhi, the event was held at Sadar Bazar, the hub of Chinese goods, the statement said.
Thousands of traders from all parts of the city participated in the demonstration. They made heaps of Chinese goods and put them on fire, it said.
The demonstrators also held placards, urging people to boycott Chinese goods. They shouted slogans against China and warned the dragon nation to stop helping Pakistan in sponsoring terror activities in India. The traders also said that they would dislodge China from India which is its largest market if it failed to mend its ways, the statement said.
CAIT national president B C Bhartia and Khandelwal said the Indian traders were annoyed with China for waging a back-door war against the interests of India by helping Pakistan.
They demanded the government to levy restrictions on trade with China, it said.
The Chinese goods are cheaper and consumers buy them without caring about the quality. Since our small and medium enterprises are capable enough to produce these goods with good quality and at affordable prices, the government should encourage such industries by giving them incentives so that they can compete with China, the statement added.
