Anand Mahindra calls Chinese stooge's jibe biggest 'rallying cry for India Inc'; hits back

After the Indian government banned 59 apps of Chinese-origin on Monday, Hu Xijin, editor of the Chinese Communist Party's mouthpiece Global Times took a low jibe at India and its exports. Chairman of Mahindra Group Anand Mahindra on Tuesday hit back at Xijin who has emerged as somewhat of the country's unofficial spokesperson at a time when the line between its state-owned media and official state communication has blurred.

Xijin tweeted, "Well, even if Chinese people want to boycott Indian products, they can't really find many Indian goods." He told his "Indian friends," that they need to have some things that are "more important than nationalism"

'Thank you for the provocation'

The Mahindra chief responding to the tweet called it a "motivating rallying cry for India Inc.” to respond. “I suspect this comment might well be the most effective & motivating rallying cry that India Inc. has ever received. Thank you for the provocation. We will rise to the occasion,” Mahindra tweeted.

Renowned Cricket analyst and commentator Harsha Bhogle also backed Mahindra by saying that he "looks forward to India Inc, and leaders like you, rising to the occasion." 

The Chinese mouthpiece stooge replied to Anand Mahindra saying, "We welcome India to have civilized competition with China in manufacturing, rather than instigating troops to engage in a violent fight, even shooting each other at border." What he omits is that there is little that is civilised about China's 'competition' on the economic front. For decades, the Communist regime has turned a blind eye as global intellectual property has been rampantly flouted in China, low-quality goods dumped in the world markets, and what the globe perceives to be the Internet largely blocked from operating. India, on the other hand, has been an open market on all fronts and complied with the laws of business.

China issues first response

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Zhao Lijian, issuing the country's first response on the ban said that China is strongly concerned, and is verifying the situation. He also said that the Indian government has a responsibility to uphold the legal rights of international investors including Chinese ones.

"China is strongly concerned, verifying the situation. We want to stress that the Chinese government always asks Chinese businesses to abide by international & local laws-regulations. The Indian government has a responsibility to uphold the legal rights of international investors including Chinese ones," he said.

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'A matter of very deep and immediate concern' 

The ban on the Chinese apps comes in the backdrop of current stand-off along the Line of Actual Control in Ladakh with Chinese troops. The list of apps that have been banned also includes WeChat, Helo, Likee, CamScanner, Vigo Video, Mi Video Call  Xiaomi, Clash of Kings as well as e-commerce platforms Club Factory and Shein.

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The Information Technology Ministry in a statement said it has received many complaints from various sources, including several reports about the misuse of some mobile apps available on Android and iOS platforms for "stealing and surreptitiously transmitting users' data in an unauthorised manner to servers which have locations outside India".

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"The compilation of these data, its mining and profiling by elements hostile to national security and defence of India, which ultimately impinges upon the sovereignty and integrity of India, is a matter of very deep and immediate concern which requires emergency measures," the statement said.

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(With PTI inputs)