Under its national campaign “Bhartiya Saamaan-Hamara Abhimaan” the Confederation of All India Traders (CAIT) to boycott of Chinese goods, the CAIT has called for usage of Indian goods in the upcoming festival.

The traders’ body has given a call for celebration of Diwali as “Hindustani Diwali”. Under this call, the birthday of Lord Ganesha on 22nd August i.e. “Ganesh Chaturthi” will be celebrated with environment friendly Ganesh idol made of mud, cow dung and manure which will be worshipped instead of Chinese Ganesh idol.

As per Hindu mythology, Lord  Ganesh along with his mother Goddess Parvati descended on this day from Kailash mountain and treating the day as his birthday  the festival of Ganesh Chaturthi is celebrated with great enthusiasm in India and particularly in States like Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat, Karnataka, Goa, Kerala, Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, Odisha, West Bengal, Delhi and Chhattisgarh.

CAIT national president BC Bhartia and secretary general Praveen Khandelwal said that with the object of boycott of Chinese goods to save the environment and water from getting polluted, the CAIT has decided to promote Ganesh Idol prepared with mud, cow dung and manure having seeds of Tulsi and other vegetables so that after the festival,

the idols can be immersed in water and seeds can be pressed into the soil to take the form of a plant.

“The size of these idols will be 6-inch, 9-inch and 12-inch so that they can be worshipped and immersed in the water easily. These idols of Ganesha can be immersed in a vessel in the house after worshiping Ganesh Chaturthi, this will save the environment and water from contamination,” they said.

Bhartia and Khandelwal told that in past years, Ganesh Idol from China used to sell in large quantities on the occasion of Ganesh Chaturthi across the country, but this year the CAIT has advised trade associations across country to make Ganesh Idols by using the art skills of local artisans, potters, women living in slum colonies and that of lower strata.

“Through this process, the CAIT is making self dependent people who have either no work or they have lost their jobs in Covid period. The Idols so prepared by such people will be sold through the local trade associations to their member traders, their employees and other people as well,” it said.

Khandelwal said that about Rs 35 to 40 thousand crore of goods imported from China are sold in this season in past years which includes idols of God, incense sticks, toys and electric bulbs etc.

“This year traders all over the country have decided not to sell Chinese goods in this festive season, but will give one another jolt to China by selling Indian goods only,” he said.