PANJIM: Escalating tension between India and Pakistan, and China supporting Pakistan has led to an anti-Chinese goods movement in India, with Goans supporting it.
When Herald visited Panjim Market on Thursday, none of the stores and stalls were selling China-made fireworks. Vendors and buyers Herald spoke to said they were boycotting the China-made crackers, in solidarity with the pan India boycott.
Vendors said customers have started asking whether the fireworks being sold are Indian or Chinese. A fireworks dealer in Panjim, Umesh Bhomkar said, “We are not ready to support Chinese fireworks and this year we have completely boycotted the Chinese products. If we get Chinese fireworks it totally supports their economy.”
Buyers too stood firm on their resolve not to buy Chinese fireworks but instead buy Indian manufactured ones as it will help the country’s economy. “Buying Chinese fireworks will help the Chinese economy grow. I have decided to go with the Indian manufactures which will in turn help the Indian economy to grow to another level,” Gauri Parab, who was purchasing fireworks, said.
“When we buy Chinese fireworks, we Indians are helping the economy of China to flourish. We should completely stop this as China is supporting Pakistan,” said Vinayak Phadte, Old-Goa Sarpanch.
Some vendors said that Indian manufactured fireworks are safer than the Chinese ones as the chemicals used in Chinese fireworks are toxic and cause skin diseases and allergies. “Indian fireworks manufactured at Sivakasi use sodium nitrate and potassium, which is safer than Chinese ones as they use potassium chlorate which is very toxic and dangerous,” said Maruti Niranjan, a fireworks dealer.
The Hindu Janajagruti Samiti (HJS) has also got into the act and started a campaign against Chinese fireworks. Members of the samiti have been traveling across Goa telling vendors not to keep Chinese fireworks.
Sources revealed that Indian manufactured fireworks as well as Chinese fireworks do not mention the chemical composition and noise levels on the box, which is compulsory under the Explosive Rules, 2008. Sources also said that fireworks approximately with the value Rs 1,600 crore are smuggled into the country each year.
