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NATION MARCH 29, 2024 | The Indian Eye 8

INDIA-CHINA TENSION

Traders, people boycott Chinese products

this Holi as tensions rise over Tawang

US says it recognizes Arunachal Pradesh as Indian territory and “strongly opposes” any

unilateral attempts to advance territorial claims by China across LAC

OUR BUREAU
New Delhi
his year’s Holi is all about ‘Made in India,’
with traders and consumers boycotting goods
Tmanufactured in China. Praveen Khandelw-
al, Secretary General, Confederation of All India
Traders (CAIT) on Friday said that for this year’s
Holi festival only products that are manufactured
in India are being sold in abundance.
“Traders and consumers have boycotted goods
made in China. Only herbal colors, gulal, water
guns, balloons, sandalwood, puja items, clothing,
and other items made in India are being sold in
abundance. Additionally, there is a huge demand
for sweets, dry fruits, gift items, flowers and fruits,
clothes, furnishing fabrics, groceries, FMCG prod-
ucts, consumer durables, and various other prod-
ucts in the markets,” Khandelwal said.
Khandelwal, who is also the BJP candidate
from Chandni Chowk Lok Sabha seat, said that
large-scale Holi events are being organized across
Delhi and the rest of the country, resulting in a Defense Minister Rajnath Singh poses for a group picture recently with the troops during his visit to forward posts at Tawang
boost for banquet halls, farmhouses, hotels, restau-
rants, and public parks, witnessing good business War Memorial in Arunachal Pradesh (ANI)
after two years.
“In Delhi alone, more than 3,000 Holi celebra- Bheem, and similar characters, and there is a high Department Principal Deputy Spokesperson, Pa-
tion events are being organized, where people are demand for spray gulal,” he said. tel said, “The United States recognizes Arunachal
experiencing a new joyous and enthusiastic atmo- Meanwhile, the United States has said Pradesh as Indian territory and we strongly oppose
sphere,” he said. that it recognizes Arunachal Pradesh as Indi- any unilateral attempts to advance territorial claims
He also informed that compared to previous an territory and “strongly opposes” any uni- by incursions or encroachments, military or civilian,
years, “There’s an estimated increase of nearly 50 lateral attempts to advance territorial claims across the Line of actual Control.”
per cent in business during the Holi season nation- by China across the Line of actual Control. Time and again India has rejected China’s territo-
wide, resulting in a business worth more than Rs US State Department Principal Deputy rial claims over Arunachal Pradesh, asserting that the
50,000 crore.” Spokesperson Vedant Patel’s statement came a few state is an integral and inalienable part of the country.
“In Delhi alone, the expected business is around days after the Chinese military repeated its claim The Ministry of External Affairs in an official
Rs 5,000 crore. Similar to previous years, both trad- over the northeast state after Prime Minister Nar- statement on Tuesday noted that the people of
ers and common people have completely boycotted endra Modi made a visit to the state and launched Arunachal Pradesh will “continue to benefit” from
Chinese goods sold during Holi. The import of Ho- development projects. India’s development programmes and infrastruc-
li-related items in the country is approximately Rs Earlier this week, the Chinese defense ministry ture projects.
10,000 crore, which was negligible this year,” he said. reiterated its claim over Arunachal Pradesh, term- “We have noted the comments made by the
The CAIT Secretary General also said ing the Indian State as as “Zangan- an inherent Spokesperson of the Chinese Defense Ministry ad-
that demand for chemical-free colors, herb- part of China’s territory,” saying, Beijing “never vancing absurd claims over the territory of the Indi-
al colors, and gulal is more compared to ar- acknowledges and firmly opposes” the “so-called an State of Arunachal Pradesh. Repeating baseless
tificial colors, and demand for balloons and Arunachal Pradesh illegally established by India”. arguments in this regard does not lend such claims
water guns is higher than in previous years. “Zangnan is China’s inherent territory, and Chi- any validity,” said the official spokesperson of MEA,
“Various types of water guns, balloons, and oth- na never recognizes and firmly opposes India’s illegal Randhir Jaiswal.
er attractive items are available in the market. Pres- establishment of the so-called ‘Arunachal Pradesh’,” “Arunachal Pradesh was, is and will always be
sure guns are available from Rs 100 to Rs 350, while said spokesperson of the Ministry of National De- an integral and inalienable part of India. Its peo-
tank-shaped water guns are available from Rs 100 fense Senior Colonel Zhang Xiaogang on March 15. ple will continue to benefit from our development
to Rs 400. Besides, there is a craze for fancy pipes When questioned about the same, during a daily programmes and infrastructure projects,” the state-
in the market. Children like Spiderman, Chhota press briefing on Wednesday (local time), the State ment added.

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