Becoming self-reliant is the key to take on China, says Shiv Sena

Amid the border standoff with China, the Shiv Sena on Tuesday said India will have to become ''self-reliant'', and not depend on US President Donald Trump, to take on the neighbouring country.

An editorial in Sena mouthpiece ''Saamana'' also said doing business with China will be an insult to sacrifices made by the 20 brave soldiers, who were killed in a violent clash with Chinese troops at Galwan Valley in Ladakh last week.

"If we want to fight China, there should be less of politics and more of national interest.

"Doing business with China will be an insult to the martyrdom of the 20 brave soldiers," it said.

India needs to focus more on the manufacturing sector if it wants to break China's economic backbone, it opined.

"We have to announce a major programme for expediting the pace of industrialisation. For that we need capital as well as electricity. The foundation of industrialisation is agriculture growth which we need to strengthen," it said.

The Sena said the Narendra Modi government at the Centre should announce a policy on what to do with Chinese investments in the country.

Noting that the Maharashtra govt has put on hold MoUs worth Rs 5,000 crore signed with three Chinese firms, the Uddhav Thackeray-led party asked if other states will follow suit.

"Uttar Pradesh, Haryana and Gujarat have Chinese investments. What will they do with it?" it sought to know.

The Sena said India was dependent on China for pharmaceuticals, chemicals, automobile raw materials and electronics.

But after the Galwan Valley clash, the BSNL and the Railways scrapped contracts with Chinese firms and Maharashtra also put on hold three contracts signed in the automobile sector, it added.