The Confederation of All India Traders (CAIT) criticised Indian cricket legend Sachin Tendulkar for choosing to become the brand ambassador of Chinese-funded Paytm’s gaming app ‘Paytm First Games’. In a letter to the former cricketer, the CAIT urged Tendulkar to reconsider his decision and reject the offer, keeping national sentiments in mind as India is “undergoing a face off with China”. “It is most astonishing and disgusting that a son of the soil who is loved by the country too much and who is considered to be much patriotic, has accepted to be Brand Ambassador of the company, which is highly infiltrated with Chinese investment,” the letter said.
“We are sure that money cannot be a consideration for you to accept such an offer. Then, what prompted you to go against the mood and sentiment of the people of India, we failed to understand (sic),” read the letter written by Praveen Khandelwal, national secretary general of the CAIT.
The letter further said: “We refer to various media reports which says that Paytm’s gaming app Paytm First (Games) has made you its Brand Ambassador which is a shocking news for the people of India because at a time when our country is undergoing a faceoff with China, who has brutally killed our 20 soldiers and repeatedly trying for aggression at our borders, you have chosen to be a Brand Ambassador of a company which has substantial investment of Alibaba of China.