BJP says Rahul Gandhi's remarks help enemy countries; advocates boycotting Chinese goods

Amid anti-China sentiments and a campaign in India to boycott Chinese products, BJP General Secretary Ram Madhav on Thursday said that Congress leader Rahul Gandhi's comments is helping the inimical countries who don't have to do anything and can just use opposition statements against India. The comments came in the backdrop of the Galwan valley clash in Ladakh which claimed lives of at least 20 Indian Army personnel, including a Colonel rank officer.

The BJP leader questioned what happened in 2013 when Congress-led UPA was in power. He said Chinese entered deep inside Indian territory, but for 2 weeks the then Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh remained silent and they held secret meetings. Opposition behaviour is immature, this is the time to show unity, he said.

"Opposition's behaviour is very unfortunate. When the entire nation should stand with the Army and Government, it's unfortunate that the main opposition party issues statements that benefit India's enemies. They use Rahul Gandhi's statement to form their argument," Ram Madhav told ANI.

READ: Boycott Chinese food & ban restaurants that serve it: Ramdas Athawale's anti-China demand

'Aatmanirbhar Bharat' should be implemented

Madhav further termed China's act of violence as barbaric and planned, he also said India will now be using a multi-pronged approach to deal with China. The senior BJP leader said we are with public sentiment and in favour of boycotting Chinese products.

"We should be less dependent on imported products and in the long term should use our own products, the idea of Prime Minister Modi's 'aatmanirbhar bharat' should be implemented in letter and spirit," he said.

"We import chemicals, mobile phone parts and buttons. Are they so essential to be imported? They can be manufactured in India. We should reduce imports from other countries but specifically from China. If people want to boycott Chinese products, we respect their sentiments," he added. 

READ: Rahul Gandhi demands to know why Indian soldiers were unarmed at LAC flashpoint with China

Appeal for boycotting Chinese products 

The Confederation of All India Traders (CAIT) has launched a nation-wide campaign called 'Bharatiya Saaman-Hamara Abhiman' to boycott Chinese products, in which it has asked celebrities from Bollywood and sporting fraternities to also join.

Additionally, National Commission for Women (NCW) Chief Rekha Sharma on Tuesday pledged to never buy anything made in China following the violent face-off between Indian and Chinese troops in the Galwan Valley, Ladakh, on Monday.  Expressing pride in her forces, Rekha Sharma tweeted, "My Husband's regiment Bihar Regiment officer martyred in scuffle with China. I am sure he must have killed many before attaining martyrdom. Jai Hind jai Hind ki Saina." Shortly after this, she asked people to join her in boycotting all Chinese products.

Furthermore, even before the clash, engineer-turned-education reformer Sonam Wangchuk posted a message on Twitter that went viral on the platform — "Cheen ko Jawaab, Sena degi bullet se, Naagrik dengey wallet se (Answer to China will be given by soldiers with their bullets and citizens with their wallets)".

 READ: NCW Chief pledges & appeals to never buy anything made-in-China, after violent clash

READ: 'Uninstall Chinese software, boycott hardware': Sonam Wangchuk's clarion call for Indians