Protest held against Chinese products outside OPPO factory in Greater Noida

PTI, Jun 20, 2020, 8:00 PM IST

Noida: Scores of people burnt the Chinese flag and an effigy of the country’s president Xi Jinping as they protested outside the factory of Chinese phone maker Oppo in Greater Noida on Saturday.

The protest was held to raise a call for boycotting Chinese products due to the Sino-India face-off in Galwan Valley in Ladakh earlier this week in which at least 20 Indian soldiers lost their lives, the protesters said.

Members of Bharatiya Kisan Union (Bhanu) were also part of the protest, which took place despite CrPC Section 144 (that bars assembly of more than four people) in place and a ban on such gatherings in Gautam Buddh Nagar.

“It was an act of cowardice by China against our soldiers. 20 of our soldiers got martyred and others were injured. Hence, to oppose Chinese products, we have burnt effigies of Chinese products and China’s President Xi Jinping. We also set on fire a flag of China,” one of the protesters from the farmers’ group said.

“All members of the Bharatiya Kisan Union are ready to fight and oppose it… There is anger across the country and also among people in Noida. We will burn effigies like this in protest,” the protester said.

Videos of the protest purportedly showed the demonstrators wearing face masks and covers but social distancing went for a toss amid the COVID-19 outbreak.

There was no immediate response from OPPO.

The Chinese phone maker had resumed operations in its Greater Noida facility earlier this month after staying shut during the initial phases of the COVID-19 lockdown.

The factory had briefly resumed operations in May but had to shut down after six workers had tested positive for coronavirus.

The Gautam Buddh Nagar Police had on June 1 extended till June 30 the curbs imposed across Noida and Greater Noida under CrPC section 144 in the wake of the COVID-19 outbreak.

Political, social, sports or religious congregations, protest rallies or processions will remain banned across Noida and Greater Noida during the lockdown period, the police had said in an order.