What About ‘Vocal For Local?’ #BoycottChina Trends on Twitter After Delhi-Meerut Rapid Rail Project Awarded to Chinese Company

Many questioned the govt's move and termed it as insult to the sacrifices of 20 soldiers who lost their lives in the Galwan valley clash.

#BoycottChina trended on Twitter on Monday yet again after reports surfaced that a Chinese company has been given a contract for the construction of the Delhi-Meerut RRTS project. With anti-China sentiment high in the country after the Galwan valley clash, Indians have launched several campaigns calling for a boycott of Chinese products and businesses. On knowing that a Chinese firm has won the crucial rail project, netizens were visibly angry with the new development and asked what happened to ‘Atmanirbhar Bharat’ and ‘Vocal For Local’.

According to a PTI report, The National Capital Region Transport Corporation (NCRTC) has awarded a contract to a Chinese company, Shanghai Tunnel Engineering Company Limited, for the construction of a 5.6-kilometre underground stretch, from New Ashok Nagar to Sahibabad, of the Delhi-Meerut RRTS project.

“Approvals have to be taken at various levels for bids that are funded by multilateral agencies. This bid was also awarded following the set procedure and guidelines. Now, all the civil work tenders of the 82-km-long Delhi-Ghaziabad-Meerut corridor have been awarded and the construction is going on in full swing to commission the project in time,” an NCRTC spokesperson said.

Many questioned the govt’s move and termed it as insult to the sacrifices of 20 soldiers who lost their lives in the Galwan valley clash. One user wrote, ”Is the LAC stand-off over? Has China returned to the pre Apr 2020, positions? Have the Galwan Bravehearts been avenged? If not then how and why are we dealing with China and awarding contracts to them? Something stinks.”

Another wrote, ”While you keep on boycotting Chinese goods showing gratitude to the bravehearts who have been struggling hard against PLA, our government continues supporting China. From purchasing syringe to giving contracts to Chinese firms, nothing has changed!!!”

Here’s how others reacted:

Awarding of Delhi-Meerut RRTS (Rapid Rail) construction contract to Chinese Firm is:
1) An insult to sacrifice of 20 brave soldiers who gave up their life defending LAC
2) Encounter of “Local for Vocal” slogan by BJP Govt itself
3) Exposes Cinema & Election Nationalism of BJP

— Jaiveer Shergill (@JaiveerShergill) January 4, 2021

We boycott china but the govt. Pay or giving a Project of 12K cr. To Chinese company for train tunnel project. This step of govt. Gives a negative impact to the citizen who helping the country for #AtmaNirbharBharat. government should change this decision🙏#Shameles#boycottchina

— Diptesh Tiwari (@dipteshtiwari3) January 3, 2021

This is Modi government double face #BoycottChina pic.twitter.com/G5qD2TxX6F

— Vicky (@Stephan53457462) January 4, 2021

This is extremely bad example to the national sentiments of anti china movement. Govt gives rail contract to Chinese co. This is not acceptable 😠
Delhi-Meerut #BoycottChina

— Ordinary Indian 🇮🇳 (@Ordinaryindian0) January 4, 2021

#BoycottChina
This is extremely bad example to the national sentiments of anti china movement. Govt gives rail contract to Chinese co. This is not acceptable 😠
Delhi-Meerut #BoycottChina pic.twitter.com/I5KYw4Gak8

— Harsh (@ChhasiaHarsh) January 4, 2021

Delhi merath RRTS project awarded to chinese firm. Is it justified after Galwan valley incidence? #BoycottChina

— Himank Jain (@Himankcr7) January 4, 2021

While U were busy to trend #BoycottChina
Govt. Of India with Sheer Suddenness of the move handed the Delhi-UP rail project worth 30K Crores to the Chinese Firm

Although the Shangai's Firm bidded the lowest in tender but difference with Lnt was just 36 Crore.
'Avoid kar skte the'

— Aditya Pandey (@Tweet_by_Aditya) January 4, 2021

This is extremely bad example to the national sentiments of anti china movement. Govt gives rail contract to Chinese co. This is not acceptable 😠
Delhi-Meerut #BoycottChina

— Ordinary Indian 🇮🇳 (@Ordinaryindian0) January 4, 2021

g

Ban Chinese Apps and Make Indians #BoycottChina and then Gives China Delhi-Meerut Railway project. Modi ji be like: pic.twitter.com/qFBKVDaIVy

— Vicky (@Stephan53457462) January 4, 2021

A controversy had erupted in June last year after the STEC emerged as the lowest bidder for the construction of the 5.6-km tunnel on one of the stretches of the Delhi-Meerut RRTS project amid a standoff between India and China along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in Ladakh. The 82-km-long Delhi-Ghaziabad-Meerut RRTS corridor is being funded by the Asian Development Bank (ADB) and procurement is governed by the guidelines of the bank and the government.

The Delhi-Ghaziabad-Meerut corridor is the first RRTS corridor being implemented in the country. The time to commute from Delhi to Meerut will be reduced to less than an hour from the current three-four hours by road, officials said. The prototype is scheduled to roll off the production line in 2022 and will be put into public use after extensive trials.

The 17-km priority corridor of the Delhi-Meerut RRTS from Sahibabad to Duhai will be operational in 2023 and the entire corridor will be operational in 2025.

(With Agency inputs)