Swadeshi manch protests Trump’s ‘tariff terrorism’

Members of various social and business organisations, including Swadeshi Jagran Manch, on Sunday held a protest against US President Donald Trump over his “tariff war with India”.

The protesters gathered at Mohan Nagar Chowk here, raised slogans in support of indigenous products, and burnt Trump’s effigy to mark a protest against “tariff terrorism”. The protesters also slammed China for “dumping substandard goods” in India, stating that this was harming micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs), destroying jobs, and weakening domestic manufacturing capacity.

The protesters called for a boycott of foreign companies and online shopping.

They said Prime Minister Narendra Modi had called upon citizens to use indigenous goods. Buying and selling of indigenous products was a true service to the nation, they claimed, stating that, in the current circumstances of global uncertainty, global value chains, payment systems and currencies are being weaponised.

Swadeshi Jagran Manch state convener Ankeshwar Prakash said hundreds of citizens, including members of the manch; Udyog Vyapar Mandal; Sahakar Bharti; One Nation, One Election Committee; Kurukshetra Development Board; BJP Intellectual Cell; Pal Gadariya Samaj Sabha; Arya Sabha; Dharma Jagran; and officials of many business organisations participated in the protest.

Swadeshi Jagran Manch district convener Ajay Jangra said the US and other countries had been blocking global exports using unjust barriers.

Madan Mohan Chhabra, state co-convener of the One Nation, One Election Committee, said the time had come for all trade organisations to come together and — keeping in mind the Prime Minister’s call and the country’s interest — strengthen the country’s market by promoting indigenous goods.

There was a need to make indigenous goods accessible to citizens to strengthen the market of these and make the country economically strong, Chhabra added.

Trump’s policies would be disastrous for America in the long run, he said, exhorting people to boycott American and Chinese goods.

Swadeshi Jagran Manch district women’s chief Dr Seema said, since its inception in 1991, the manch had been promoting the message of adopting Swadeshi. The forum firmly believed that India could prosper only on the basis of Swadeshi and self-reliance, she added.