Chinese items’ boycott echoes in Assam

In what has boosted the moral of those carrying out campaign against Chinese products, Assam finance minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Tuesday joined the issue and justified the students’ campaign, asking people to avoid buying the Chinese products. Mr Sarma, however, clarified that he was making this appeal in an individual capacity not as minister.

His remarks comes a day after Ulfa-I warned a Hindu students organisation to refrain from launching any campaign against boycott Chinese products.

“This Durga Puja, people should avoid buying products made in China. Instead they should buy lamps, decorative lights and household utensils made in India,” he told reporters, asking media to support such campaign.

Significantly, Mr Sarma’s appeal also follows Beijing’s declaration last Saturday that it has blocked a tributary of the Brahmaputra, to construct a dam for a major hydro-electric project in Tibet.

Asserting that it was his personal opinion, Mr Sarma, who handles finance, health, education portfolios, reiterated that Indians should stop buying any product which has ‘Made in China’ marked on them.

The issue came to light first when Assam unit of Hindu Yuva Chatra Parishad made an appeal to people in the state to stop buying Chinese goods to hurt the neighbouring country economically.

Soon after the appeal, the outlawed Ulfa-I issued a statement asking the group and its leaders to stop its campaign seeking boycott of Chinese products. It said consumers have the right to buy goods, which are cheap.