More than five crore business establishments all over India today kept their shutters closed today observing Bharat Vypar Bandh call given by the Confederation of All India (CAIT) in protest against decision of the Union Cabinet to allow FDI in Retail Trade . In Delhi, Maharashtra, Gujarat,Karnatka, Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh, Tamilnadu, Rajasthan,Chattisgarh, Jharkhand, Orrisa, West Bengal, Haryana, Punjab, Himachal Pradesh, Uttrakhand,Bihar and other states , the shopkeepers kept their shops completely closed. Commercial Markets across the Country wore deserted look and no trading activity took place. The day long Bandh was supported by several political parties including BJP, CPI(M), CPI, JD (U), BSP and SP etc. More than 25000 trade bodies across the Country participated in Bharat Vyapar Bandh today.
At Jantar Mantar in New Delhi today, large number of traders participated in a 'protest dharna". The protestors shouted anti-FDI slogans and were carrying playcards reading " FDI in Retail-Indian Trade on "Sale", Khudra Bazar Main Videshi Nivesh-Gulam Banega Apna Desh", Retail Vyapar Main Videshi Kampanio Ka Pravesh Band Ho", Hum Saaman Bechte Hain-Samman Nahin", Videshi Kampnia Aayengi-Mehngai Dahej Main Layengi", "Roll Back- FDI in Retail Trade". NDA convenor Sharad Yadav, BJP President Shri Nitin Gadkari, BJP Leader Dr. Murli Joshi, Communist Party of India (Marxist) Shri Sitaram Yechury, CPI General Secretary Shri A.B. Bardhan alongwith leader no of other political parties joined the Protest Dharna.
" It was a successful Trade Bandh which amply demonstrated the anger and resentment of the trading community of India on crucial issue of FDI in Retail"-said Mr. B.C.Bhartia and Mr.Praveen Khandelwal, National President & Secretary Genral,respectively of the CAIT. Not only the traders but nearly 22 crore other people including transporters,hawkers, daily wage earners,employees etc will also be adversaly affected. The FDI in Retail will also cause much damage to the farmers,added the trade leaders.
The CAIT leaders strongly objected the statement of Government calling them as "middlemen" responsible for eating huge margin in supply chain. In last few days on media too, the persons defending the Govt are painting traders as an unwanted stuff in India. Such an attitude needs strong condemnation. The Government has utterly failed in providing necessary infrastructure required for smooth retail trade in India.It has also failed in keeping check over the mass scale hoardings being done by the domestic corporate houses and to cover up its failure,blaming the traders can not be tolerated,said trade leaders.
Both Mr. Bhartia and Mr. Khandelwal said that the arguments advanced by the Government in support of its decision are hollow and not substantiated by any authoritative logic. They demanded the Government to consider recommondations of the Parliamentary Standing Committee which submitted its unanimous report on 8th June,2009. The said report backed by in depth research and study is a guiding document for bringing reforms in retail trade. The CAIT while demanding the Govt to withdraw the decision also demanded formation of a Joint Task Force consisting of Senior Officials and stakeholders to suggest further remedial measures for re-structuring the retail trade.
For more information please contact CAIT, Secretary General, Mr. Praveen Khandelwal@9891015165, 9310199771.
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