Ramdas Athawale wants people to stop eating Chinese food, boycott restaurants and hotels.

Union minister Ramdas Athawale has called for boycotting ‘Chinese food and restaurants selling it’ in the country. His appeal comes in the midst of an ongoing tussle with China at the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in the Galwan valley of eastern Ladakh.

Speaking to news agency ANI, Athawale, who heads the Republican Party of India, said that everyone should stop eating Chinese food and suggested states to pass an order to ban Chinese restaurants and hotels.

“My suggestion is that restaurants and hotels that sell Chinese food should be shut down. I also request those who eat Chinese food to stop eating them, boycott them,” Athawale told ANI.

Athawale separately tweeted that China is a country that betrays. “India should boycott all products from China. Chinese food and the hotels selling it should be closed,” he tweeted in Hindi.

Tensions between India and China have reached an all-time high after 20 Indian soldiers lost their lives in a violent clash with Chinese troops in Ladakh on Monday night. According to media reports, the Chinese side also suffered significant casualties. Reports say over 40 Chinese troops were killed in the violence.

The border standoff between India and China began in the first week of May after Chinese invaded Indian territory Ladakh. India protested strongly and activated diplomatic and military channels to resolve the dispute. The violence took place despite military commanders of both sides holding talks to defuse tension.

Earlier in March, Athawale along with Chinese Consul General Tang Guocai and Buddhist monks had gathered at the Gateway of India in Mumbai to show solidarity with China in its the fight against coronavirus that originated from the Chinese city of Wuhan. Athawale was seen chanting “Corona go” in a video at the Gateway of India that went viral on social media.