New Delhi, June 18, 2020: The Confederation of All India Traders (CAIT) has appealed to celebrities across the country, including Amitabh Bachhan, Akshay Kumar, Mahender Singh Dhoni, and Sachin Tendulkar, to join its campaign to boycott Chinese products under its flagship national movement "Bhartiya Saaman - Hamara Abhiman".
CAIT, in an open letter to the celebrities, urged actors like Aamir Khan, Deepika Padukone, Katrina Kaif, and cricketer Virat Kohli to stop endorsing Chinese products.
"At a time when China's army in the most clandestine manner has committed a 'barbaric attack' on the Indian army at Ladakh border, the heart of every Indian is filled with deep anguish, resentment and abhorrence against the atrocities of the Chinese and their persistent attitude of antagonism towards India and to be a part of solidarity, the CAIT has asked one bunch of celebrities to stop endorsing Chinese products as also inviting another bunch of celebrities to join hands with CAIT to rope citizens of India to be part of the campaign," CAIT said.
The local traders' body has set a target of reducing imports from China by a value of approximately Rs 1 lakh crore by December 2021 with the cooperation of traders and citizens. Currently, the annual import from China stands at Rs 5.25 lakh crore.
It has sought the assistance of the Bollywood and sports fraternity for the boycott of Chinese products.
While making an appeal to the celebrities to stop the endorsement of Chinese products, CAIT said that conducting any lawful activity for earning money is guaranteed by the Constitution of India but there are certain occasions when we have to give up certain activities for the cause of our motherland.
CAIT national president BC Bhartia and Secretary General Praveen Khandelwal, in the letter, said that it is a strategic move by the Chinese to rope in Indian celebrities through Chinese companies to endorse their products to gain control over the Indian retail market.
The letter asserted that traders in the country particularly request Aamir Khan, Sara Ali Khan, Virat Kohli, Deepika Padukone, Katrina Kaif, Badshah, Sidharth Malhotra, Ranbir Kapoor, Ranveer Singh, Salman Khan, Ayushman Khurana, Shradha Kapoor and all others who are endorsing Chinese products to stop doing so as a mark of respect for Indian soldiers.
On the other hand, the CAIT has appealed to various celebrities, including Amitabh Bachhan, Akshay Kumar, Shilpa Shetty, Madhuri Dikshit, Mahender Singh Dhoni, Sachin Tendulkar, Sonu Sood, to campaign for the boycott of Chinese products and adoption of Indian goods.