‘Boycott Chinese goods’: Kejriwal appeals to people, slams centre over trade

Giving details, the Delhi CM said that in 2020-21, 65 billion dollars worth of imports were made from China and in 2021-22 India imported goods worth 95 billion dollars from China. “The day we stop 95 billion dollars import, China will learn a lesson,” he said

Days after Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal called for a ban on trade with China in the backdrop of the recent skirmish between Indian and Chinese troops in Arunachal Pradesh’s Tawang sector, the Delhi CM on Sunday asked people to boycott Chinese goods.

Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal was speaking at the 11th AAP national council meeting (HT Photo)

Kejriwal on Sunday reiterated his stand on the ban on trade with China and appealed to the central government to stand firm.

“I appeal to everyone to stop buying Chinse goods. I also want to appeal to the centre to not bow down before China,” Kejriwal said.

The Delhi chief minister was speaking at the ongoing national council meeting of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) where a discussion on Chinese aggression was one of the subjects among inflation, unemployment and poverty. The meeting is being held in Delhi among top AAP leaders, including Punjab chief minister Bhagwant Mann.

Taking note of the situation on the Tawang clash, a move that was thwarted by Indian soldiers, the AAP chief said, “China has been threatening us for the last few years. Our jawans are bravely fighting the Chinese and some have even made sacrifices.”

He said despite all this, India is increasing its trade with China. “We learn through social media that China has occupied our territories, but the central government is rewarding China. We are increasing our imports from China,” Kejriwal said

Giving details, the Delhi CM said that in 2020-21, 65 billion dollars worth of imports were made from China and in 2021-22 India imported goods worth 95 billion dollars from China. “The day we stop 95 billion dollars import, China will learn a lesson,” he said.

“The central government should have stopped the imports from China,” he said, asking “..what is the helplessness of the centre and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). Why are they doing this?”

“Things like toys, slippers, and clothes are imported from China. We can also manufacture these items in our country. The centre is helpless. We do not need cheap Chinese goods. We are ready to pay a premium price for such products if they are made in India,” he added.

No response was immediately available from the central government or the BJP on Kejriwal’s remarks.

Kejriwal said the three pillars of AAP’s ideology are strong patriotism, commitment to honesty, and humanity and they drive AAP’s zeal to serve the people. “I have the blessings of God. I believe that he has selected me for doing some good work,” said Kejriwal at the 11th national council meeting.

About AAP not winning the Gujarat assembly elections as Kejriwal claimed before the polls, Kejriwal said, “People expect us to win all elections that we fight. In the second attempt in Gujarat, we will form the govt in 2027 as we did in Punjab. We have become a national party in 10 years. It was because we are fresh air in the national politics and people are fed up with traditional parties which do not talk about the welfare of the people but only remain engaged in dirty politics.”

Citing a report prepared by the central government, Kejriwal said that the national inflation rate has hit 7.4% but the inflation rate in Delhi is 4%. “It is because many things are free in the capital. UP, MP and Gujarat have 8% inflation. The inflation can be tamed if AAP is running the govt,” said Kejriwal.

The AAP national leader further claimed that 12.5 lakh high net-worth individuals have left the country in the past five years because they were not provided with a conducive business environment by the central government.

He added that those who want to work with honesty are troubled by the centre which uses agencies like the enforcement directorate (ED) and others if anyone dares to take a stand against the government, “…however criminals are made to join the BJP,” he alleged.

All this has prompted the people to leave India. “If we give a red carpet to the investors, we will be able to export goods to the Chinese,” said Kejriwal.