There is competition for Chinese-made Lakshmi-Ganesh idols this Diwali. Idols made in Arunachal Pradesh by a group of students campaigning for ‘Swadeshi’ (locally made) are being presented as an alternative to the Chinese-made models.
The idols, being sold with the tagline, ‘Arunachal Laxmi Ghar Lao- Jyada Dhan Milega’ (Bring Home Arunachal Laxmi-Get Wealthier) have also found political endorsement.
Chief minister Pema Khandu and union minister of state for home affairs Kiren Rijiju who also hails from the state are promoting the product that will be unveiled by the minister of state in the Prime Minister’s Office Jitender Singh on Tuesday.
A member of ‘Arunachal Swadeshi’ group which is spearheading the campaign, told HT that the initiative is an attempt to promote locally manufactured goods and to dissuade people from buying Chinese idols.
“The idea was to bring Arunachal Pradesh into focus. It’s an attempt to mainline the state and its people with the rest of the country, because a lot of people don’t know about our culture,” Akash Likha, president of the group said.
Offshoots of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) such as the Swadeshi Jagran Manch have also been campaigning for a ban on Chinese products.
{{/usCountry}}Offshoots of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) such as the Swadeshi Jagran Manch have also been campaigning for a ban on Chinese products.
{{/usCountry}}The significance of pushing Arunachal Pradesh to counter the Chinese goods however, seems to signal a political message. The neighbour has been referring to Arunachal Pradesh as a disputed part of the Sino-Indian border and has not accepted it as part of India. Next in line are Christmas decorations, followed by crafts from the state for the New Year, Likha said.