Shopkeepers boycott Chinese rakhis in Ludhiana

Ludhiana (Punjab) [India], July 24 : Showing their solidarity with the rest of the country, shopkeepers in Ludhiana have refrained from buying or selling Chinese rakhis this Raksha Bandhan.
This comes after 20 Indian army jawans were killed by Chinese troops in a face-of in Ladhak's Galwan valley.
According to Davindra Kaur, a shopper in the area, she and her family are being careful not to buy Chinese rakhis this year due to tensions at the border.
"Last year we all bought China-made rakhis but this year, because of tensions at the border, we are not buying any Chinese goods. I have told my whole extended family also to not buy Chinese products. By buying Indian rakhis, we are depriving China of their business and in turn, we are encouraging the Indian workforce. This will help in employment generation in India as well," Kaur told ANI.
This year, Raksha Bandhan will be celebrated on August 3.
Pawan Kumar, a shopkeeper said people would not even buy from his store if he has Chinese rakhis.
"Before buying rakhis, people always ask me if they are made in China. If I say yes, then people walk away. The rakhis I sell now are made by local Indian artisans and are much more durable than the Chinese rakhis. They are more beautiful and do not break easily. Now I only buy Indian products for my shop to help the economy of our country," he said.
Taranjit Singh, owner of another store, 'Be Indian, Buy Indian', said they only deal with Indian products.
"We want what is best for our country, we don't sell even a single Chinese product. Our country's money should remain within our borders and not go towards the funding of another country's military," Singh told ANI.