Won't sell Chinese mobile phones, say shopkeepers in Ahmedabad

Amid escalating border tension between India and China, the shopkeepers in Ahmedabad city's largest mobile phone market said they have decided not to sell Chinese gadgets henceforth, and urged Indian companies to manufacture good quality and affordable devices to provide an alternative.

These vendors have even covered the signboards of Chinese brands in their shopping complex with banners saying "Made In India".

The multi-storey Murtimant Complex on Relief Road in the eastern part of the city houses over 50 retail as well as wholesale shops, which sell mobile phones and accessories worth lakhs of rupees every day.

As calls for boycott of China-made goods erupted across the country after 20 Indian soldiers died in a violent face-off with Chinese troops in Ladakh's Galwan valley last month, the shopkeepers in Ahmedabad decided not to sell any products manufactured in the neighbouring country.

"We have decided to boycott Chinese items. In the coming days, we will permanently remove the signboards of the Chinese mobile phone brands. Since we have already stocked China-made devices, we will sell them in the next one month and then buy only Indian or South Korean goods," said Rakesh Mehta, a shop owner.

Another shopkeeper said that no one is interested in selling Chinese goods if traders get such devices from Indian manufacturers.

"I support this call for boycott, but it's also a fact that Chinese goods is a lot cheaper. We are selling it because customers are not ready to shell out more for the high-end products," said a wholesale trader.

Meanwhile, Rashtriya Rajput Karni Sena also started a movement against Chinese goods and urged the shopkeepers to stop the sale in the next one month.

"We have requested all the shopkeepers to stop the sale of Chinese items. We gave them one months time to clear the stock. All of us need to stand firmly with our country and show our patriotism. China is using our money against our own army. This must stop" said Gujarat chief of the outfit, Raj Shekhawat.

India on Monday banned 59 apps with Chinese links, including TikTok, UC Browser, SHAREit and WeChat, saying they were prejudicial to sovereignty, integrity and security of the country.