New Delhi: The Confederation of All India Traders (CAIT) Tuesday criticised Indian cricket legend Sachin Tendulkar for choosing to become the brand ambassador of Chinese-funded Paytm’s gaming app ‘Paytm First Games’.
In a letter to the former cricketer, the CAIT urged Tendulkar to reconsider his decision and reject the offer, keeping national sentiments in mind as India is “undergoing a face off with China”.
“It is most astonishing and disgusting that a son of the soil who is loved by the country too much and who is considered to be much patriotic, has accepted to be Brand Ambassador of the company, which is highly infiltrated with Chinese investment,” the letter said.
“We are sure that money cannot be a consideration for you to accept such an offer. Then, what prompted you to go against the mood and sentiment of the people of India, we failed to understand (sic),” read the letter written by Praveen Khandelwal, national secretary general of the CAIT.
The letter further said: “We refer to various media reports which says that Paytm’s gaming app Paytm First (Games) has made you its Brand Ambassador which is a shocking news for the people of India because at a time when our country is undergoing a faceoff with China, who has brutally killed our 20 soldiers and repeatedly trying for aggression at our borders, you have chosen to be a Brand Ambassador of a company which has substantial investment of Alibaba of China.
“Paytm First Games is a joint venture of Paytm and AG Tech of Alibaba,” added the letter.
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‘Chinese company caught spying in India’
Khandelwal argued that at a time when the Modi government is “taking all necessary steps of banning Chinese apps, rejecting participation of Chinese companies in Railway and highway infrastructure projects”, Tendulkar has accepted this offer.
He also said that “recently one Chinese company Zhenhua was caught spying in India as also tracking 10 thousand Indians, including the President, Prime Minister and many more important people of the country”.
“On the other hand, the Indian forces are having a brave face against Chinese forces at the borders just for the safety and security of the country. A wide movement for boycotting Chinese goods is moving all over the country having large support of the people from all corners of the country,” he added in the letter.
‘Hope that saner counsel will prevail upon you’
The traders’ body has requested him to reconsider the decision and “reject the offer which will certainly give a strong message to China that you are standing with the country at this crucial and critical hour and also amplify your respect for the mood and sentiments of the people”.
The letter ended with the “hope that saner counsel will prevail upon you”.
The traders’ body intensified its anti-China campaign following the violent Galwan Valley face-off in Ladakh that left 20 Indian soldiers dead.
It also called for a boycott of 450 categories of Chinese products in June, and had also appealed to celebrities to stop endorsing Chinese goods.
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