A group of employees at the Zomato food delivery platform in Kolkata tore and burned their official jerseys to protest Chinese investment in the company. The unrest follows the killing of 20 Indian soldiers in a clash with Chinese troops in the eastern Galwan Valley in Ladakh on June 15.
During the Saturday protest in Behala, in the southwestern part of the city, some agitators alleged that they quit their jobs since Zomato has considerable Chinese investment and urged people to stop ordering food through the company.
In 2018, Ant Financial, a part of the major Chinese Alibaba, had invested $ 210 million in Zomato for a 14.7 percent stake. The main food delivery recently raised an additional $ 150 million from Ant Financial.
“Chinese companies are making profits from here and attacking our country’s army. They are trying to take over our land. This cannot be allowed,” said one of the protesters.
Another protester said they were ready to starve, but would not work for companies that have investments from China.
In May, Zomato laid off 520 employees or 13 percent of its workforce in a major downsizing exercise due to the new coronavirus pandemic.
There was no immediate reaction from Zomato and it was not known if the protesters were among those who were fired.
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She is a freelance blogger, writer, and speaker, and writes for various entertainment magazines.