India should boycott Chinese goods: Fernandes

VADODARA: Criticising the Centre's policy on China, former Defence Minister George Fernandes has urged India and other countries to pressurise the communist nation to change its stand on Tibet by boycotting Chinese goods.
 
"India has surrendered to China and is not taking any bold stand on the independence of Tibet," Fernandes said, while speaking at a function organised by the Regional Tibet Youth Congress (RTYC) Gujarat, here on Sunday.
 
The imperialist face of China is totally "bared" and the world has witnessed "ghastly" scenes of the killings of people, he said, adding "now it is do or die situation for Tibet".
 
"The genocide of innocent and peaceful people should wake up all the countries supporting the cause of Tibet," he said.
 
The NDA leader said the Olympic torch should not be allowed to come to India and that he had asked his friends and others to make "whatever effort" to prevent the flame's run in this country.
 
He also alleged that the Centre postponed the proposed meeting between Vice President Hamid Ansari and Spiritual Leader Dalai Lama under "Chinese pressure".
 
Later, talking to reporters, he expressed doubt over the emergence of Third alternative sans Congress and BJP advocated by the Left parties.
 
"They have been talking about this issue for some time now, but not doing anything," he said.