Delhi, Mathura budget hotels, guest houses to boycott Chinese nationals, goods amid border row

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New Delhi: Budget hotels, restaurants and guest houses in the national capital and holy town Mathura Vrindavan have decided that they will boycott goods from China and not provide accommodation to its nationals amid border standoff.

The Delhi Hotels and Restaurant Owners Association, which has more than 3,000 budget hotels and restaurants as members in the national capital, has written to the Confederation of All India Traders (CAIT) informing about the decision and the grouping's full support to CAIT's boycott Chinese goods campaign.

Likewise, the Mathura Vrindavan Hotel Owners Association, with 125 hotels and guest houses as its members, said it will also boycott goods from china and not allow accommodation to Chinese nationals.

Against the backdrop of violent clashes earlier this month between India and China in eastern Ladakh that killed 20 Indian Army personnel, there has been a growing clamour in certain quarters for boycotting Chinese products.

Delhi Hotel and Restaurant Owners Association General Secretary Mahendra Gupta said the members will not take bookings or serve Chinese nationals and have also decided to boycott using Chinese goods in their establishments.

Around 3,000 budget hotels and restaurants are part of the association. These establishments get five to six per cent of their bookings from Chinese nationals, he said.

"We are pleased to inform you that our association has decided to wholeheartedly support the campaign of CAIT and as such we have decided to boycott Chinese goods which are being used in our hotels and restaurants and henceforth we shall not be using any Chinese products in our establishments," the Delhi Hotel & Restaurant Owners Association said in the letter to CAIT.

The Association said it has also decided not to provide rooms to "any Chinese national at a time when China is repeatedly in attacking mode on our brave Indian forces".

While, the Mathura Vrindavan Hotel Owners Association said, "Our association has decided that we will not accommodate any Chinese nationals." Its General Secretary Amit Jain told PTI that the move was an expression of anger against the killing of Indian soldiers in clashes with Chinese troops in the Galwan valley.

Further, the Delhi Hotels and Restaurant Owners Association said it will also contact hotel associations of other states to make a similar decision.

"It is also to inform you that as a next step we shall also be contacting Star Hotels in Delhi and will impress upon them to join this movement," the Association said in its letter to CAIT.

CAIT Secretary General Praveen Khandelwal while welcoming the decision of the Hotels Association said that with such a decision it is quite evident that people from all walks of life are more willing to join its campaign.

He said CAIT will now make efforts to rope in other sectors like farmers, transporters, small industries, consumers, hawkers, self entrepreneurs, women entrepreneurs, etc and make an appeal to them to join the campaign.