'Banning China's apps done to show India's strength': Ramdas Athawale on 'digital strike'

As the Central government on Wednesday banned 118 Chinese apps amid the India-China border standoff, Union Minister Ramdas Athawale said on Thursday that the third round of Chinese apps ban is done to show India's strength and teach a lesson to China.

The Central government's ban of additional 118 Chinese apps comes in view of the fresh border standoff with China in Ladakh with the Armies of two South Asian powers. The Indian Army stated that it pre-empted the movement of Chinese troops on the southern bank of Pangong Tso lake in Ladakh and thwarted the attempts by China to unilaterally change the facts on ground. The Ministry of External Affairs on Tuesday revealed that China once again engaged in provocative action on August 31 even as the ground commanders of the two nations were trying to deescalate the situation. However, the Indian Army yet again foiled the attempt to unilaterally change the status quo.

Third 'digital strike'

Among the 118 banned apps is the popular gaming platform PUBG and VooV Meeting app. Earlier on June 29, the government had banned 59 Chinese apps, including popular apps such as TikTok, UC Browser, WeChat and Bigo Live. The Centre maintained that the Chinese apps were prejudicial to sovereignty, integrity and security of the country. The ban was in the light of the standoff with Chinese troops in the Galwan valley in Eastern Ladakh. The government then banned 47 more Chinese apps that were the clones and variants of the ones banned earlier, followed by the latest ban of 118 apps.

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The US openly backed India's move to ban the 118 apps having Chinese origins or linked with China as the Communist regime of China has repeatedly threatened the sovereignty of several countries which are neighbours of China either by land or sea. 

While speaking with ANI, Ramdas Athawale also spoke about the shortened hours of the Monsoon session of Parliament in view of COVID-19.  

"Having social distancing is important. And hence the decision was taken to have four hours in Rajya Sabha and four hours in Lok Sabha," Athawale said.

The Union Minister, who is a leader of backward classes, expressed happiness on former Bihar Chief Minister joining hands with NDA ahead of the Bihar assembly elections.

"Jitan Ram is from Dalit community. He is a very big leader of our community. His decision to join NDA is a great one. We welcome him," he said. 

Speaking about the row over Facebook being biased towards the Central government, Athawale said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi's work is liked and revered by everyone which is why there is publicity through Facebook. 

"Congress keeps complaining that BJP is progressing due to Social Media. Facebook has all the rights to take the news to people," he added while targeting Congress which had earlier alleged that Facebook is colluding with the Centre.

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