Indian diyas dim Chinese lights this Diwali

Akash Ghai

Tribune News Service

Mohali, October 29 

Like the social media, the anti-Chinese goods wave has been evident among the residents of Mohali this Diwali. To light up their houses, they are going for the Indian diyas and lights rather than Chinese decorative lights. 

The residents here are avoiding using Chinese lights that are much cheaper and fancier than its Indian counterparts. 

A day before the ‘festival of lights’, fancy lights are missing from most houses in Mohali unlike last year. 

“The simple reason is, we  are not buying Chinese lights this time, because it is anti-India and I simply want to avoid all Chinese goods that I can,” said Paramjit Singh, a resident of Phase VII, here. 

He added that he would decorate his house with earthen lamps tomorrow.

When asked how come he knew that China was anti-India, Paramjit said he had read a number of messages in this regard on social networking sites.  Echoing the sentiments, another local resident Simran said she and her husband did not like China’s stand on recent surgical strikes by India in Pakistan occupied Kashmir. 

“We fully support the prevailing anti-Chinese goods wave on the social media and decided to go for only Indian goods this Diwali,” said Simran. 

She added that she was also asking her neighbours and acquaintances not to buy Chinese lights, crackers and other things. 

A small-time shopkeeper, who put a stall of Chinese lights in the local market said a number of his customers had demanded Indian lights this time. “They returned when I showed my inability to provide them the Indian lights as I only deal in Chinese lights. My business is down this time but it is hard to say whether the anti-Chinese goods wave or some other reason is responsible for it,” said the shopkeeper.