in protest against the DoT's decision to allow Chinese company Huawei to conduct 5G trials in India.
In a letter to Modi, Ashwani Mahajan, SJM's National Co-Convenor, expressed "disappointment after the Department of Telecom allowed the Chinese company Huawei to conduct 5G trials in India. As you are aware, that we endorse the development and evolution of technology and strongly back its use to make the human life more meaningful and easy. But we are equally conscious of the national security and the privacy issues of our fellow countrymen."
The letter said the presence of Chinese companies in India's telecommunications networks would compromise national security. Huawei has been banned in several countries as more and more countries realise the full implications of having Huawei and Chinese companies in their communication networks.
"There are ample evidence that lead to suspicion of Chinese companies indulging in exfiltrating sensitive information from devices and equipment that it exports. Many of these countries suspect that the Chinese companies indulge in stealing massive amounts of military and technological secrets through cyber-hacking from various countries. We all understand that these Chinese companies are also bound by Chinese intelligence law to share intelligence with their government."
It said, "the People's Liberation Army (PLA) of China and the Chinese establishment also understand ramifications. They don't allow market access to the foreign companies to provide them neither the equipments nor the software. We too must push the clause of reciprocity here."
It alleged that there is a misinformation, "deliberately" floated with cohesion of some bureaucrats that India doesn't have pool of talent to provide the 5G and 6G solutions. This is not true. In fact, there are series of entrepreneurs working extensively on this. An Indian company has patented their 6G concept in the US. At this stage, these entrepreneurs need patronage of the government to accelerate.
This will armour India to build the infrastructure to take fruits of leap in the technology, that too without compromising security. The countries, who have grown big in the telecommunication equipment manufacturing, groomed their domestic players. Even Huawei took $75 billion from the Chinese establishment, Mahajan said.
"We can't compromise India's interests in this digital era. We understand that the 5G is an important leap in the technology and India must not miss this. But this still can be achieved by promoting the domestic and indigenous players. The 'Chinese information warfare doctrine' is core of its military strategy. The time has come to support our domestic players and create a base for the digital ecosystem."
"We request you to immediately restrict Huawei and other Chinese companies from operating in the Indian market and conducting 5G trials. Secondly we request you to prove patronage to the domestic players. Investing in 5G and 6G capability development will catapult India technologically. And create the most advanced telecom ecosystem in the world in India, guaranteeing national security, jobs, exports and prosperity, a complete win-win for the country," the letter said.
( With inputs from IANS )