The campaign to boycott Chinese goods following the country’s support to Pakistan after the Uri attack has started hitting Diwali sales, according totraders in different markets.The campaign to stop the sale of Chinese crackers is gaining momentum.
Social media has been buzzing with calls not to buy Chinese goods this Diwali. Several politicians too have urged people to buy Indian goods only.Most of the cheap lighting decoration comes from China.
While many Old Delhi traders agree with the sentiment of the campaign, they say it would lead to huge losses as thousands of traders and shop-owners have stocked Chinese goods worth lakhs over the past four months.
“People have invested a lot on these products. Before taking any decision, politicians should be aware of our plight.Any plan to stop Chinese goods in India is not feasible for we do not yet have any such infrastructure to manufacture these products here,” said business men from Old Delhi’s Lajpat Rai market.
Over the years, Chinese firms have gained a near-monopoly over many Diwali products such as small blinking lights, also called `fairy lights’, decorative items and statues. The campaign began on social media with people calling for the boycott of Chinese goods this Diwali. These posts argued that the boycott would have a two-fold advantage -that of crippling the Chinese economy and promotion of `swadeshi’ products.
However some people believe they should do their bit for boycotting products of a country that is “against India”. But they say any boycott now will affect sales.
“As it is, the retail market is gloomy because people usually buy stuff online these days, and many have lost their purchasing power. To ban the sale of goods now, when Diwali is upon us, is not the right step,said a small business man.
A local manufacturer believes the government should stop importers from buying products from China, instead of banning retail sales. “If they want to curb this then they should stop the ability of the importers to buy the product, rather than trouble us before Diwali,” he says.
