Union Information & Broadcasting Minister Prakash Javadekar hailed the Modi government’s decision to ban 59 Chinese applications, connecting the move to ”Atmanirbhar Bharat”. Taking to social media, Javadekar remarked, “The whole country has appreciated the decision of the @narendramodi govt to ban 59 Chinese Apps. This will give fillip to Indian Startups & they will come up with better versions very soon. This is a right step towards #AtmaNirbharBharat”. The Modi government on Monday banned 59 Chinese apps including TikTok, WeChat and UC Browser and Xiaomi’s Mi Community over national security concerns amid strained India-China relations after the death of 20 Indian soldiers in the Galwan Valley clash with Chinese PLA troops in eastern Ladakh. The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) has issued a list of 59 Chinese apps that are now banned in the country. “These measures have been undertaken since there is credible information that these apps are engaged in activities which are prejudicial to sovereignty and integrity of India, defence of India, security of state and public order,” said a MeitY statement. Javadekar’s statement makes sense given that Indians have rushed to download social app Chingari, a desi alternative to Chinese TikTok, which is witnessing nearly 1 lakh downloads and over 2 million views per hour since the government banned 59 Chinese apps, last night.
