Sarcastic Civic Reception to UPA Government becomes the key of Protest against FDI in Retail
Protest Dharna continued for the second day today at Jantar Mantar

Continuing their 36 hours protest dharna against fdi in retail at Jantar Mantar in New Delhi for the second day today, the Confederation of All India Traders (CAIT) in association with Khudra FDI Virodhi Rashtriya  Morcha  the demonstrators made it ample clear that the retail stakeholders have geared up themselves to oppose all such political parties who will support the FDI in Retail, in forthcoming Assembly elections in year 2013 and Lok Sabha elections in year 2014. To draw the strategy of such opposition a seven member committee comprising of Shri B.C.Bhartia, CAIT National President, Shri Naresh Sirohi, General Secretary, Bhartiya Kisan Morcha, Shri Pradeep Sharma, National Coordinator of Khudra FDI Virodhi Rashtriya Morcha, Shri Bejon Mishra of Consumers Movement, Shri Pradeep Singhal, Working President, All India Motor Transport Welfare Association, Shri Shaktiman Ghosh, General Secretary, National Hawkers Federation and Shri Satish Garg, National Organising Secretary of CAIT has been constituted which will formulate the strategy. While raising the slogan “ Ab Tak Unki Baari Thee- Ab Hamari Baari Hai”, the demonstrators took a pledge to take the issue up to polling booth level.

At Dharna held at Jantar Mantar the FDI in Retail was opposed in a novel and unique way by according a “ sarcastic civic reception” to UPA Government where a dummy of Union Commerce Minister Mr. Anand Sharma was accorded the status of Chief Guest  and felicitated with garlands and roll of honour for bringing FDI in Retail in a most clandestine manner to destroy the Indian economy and retail trade.

 Like a civic reception the dummy of Mr. Anand Sharma arrived in a Car and was greeted by the organizers and taken to the stage where the dummy was accorded a chair in the centre flanked  by leaders of traders, farmers, transporters, small industry, hawkers, consumers and labour unions on either side of Mr. Sharma. Giving a befitting reception garlands and bouquets were offered to dummy followed by a roll of honour.

Commending the destructive role of Shri Sharma in bringing FDI in Retail Trade in great haste and without holding consultations with neither the political parties nor the stakeholders,Mr. Naresh Sirohi, prominent leader of farmers’ community, read out the roll of honor. Appreciating his skills of preparing a sound case necessitating FDI in Retail Trade by courageously making large deviations in the FDI policy laid in the Parliament by himself on 25th November, 2011, Mr. Sharma has proven the dictum wrong that Parliament is supreme. The roll of honor further appreciated his persuasive art of establishing the wrong and incorrect figure of 40% food wastage in India duly accepted not only by the Union Cabinet but the Prime Minister as well and that too even knowing the real & correct figures submitted to Government by Indian Agricultural Research Institute (ICRA) in September, 2010. It is a matter of great appreciation that he was able to convince Union Minister of Agriculture and Union Minister of Food Processing not to raise any objections on the incorrect figure of 40% food wastage even till today. It is the art of Mr. Sharma that development of cold storage and modern transport system by global retailers reflected in Prime Ministers address to the Nation on 21st September, 2012 was not explicitly included in the definition ofbackend infrastructure as defined in the Notification issued on 20th September, 2012 giving a major advantage to the global retailers.It is charisma of Mr. Anand Sharma that his senior Cabinet colleague and celebrated lawyer of the Country and respected by one and all Mr. Kapil Sibal who while taking part in the debate was referring to fdi policy laid down in Parliament on 25th November,2011  which appears that the notification issued by the Govt has not been consulted by Mr. Sibal since he has utmost confidence on his colleague minister. Gifted with such manipulative qualities, the retail stakeholders feel great pleasure in according a “civic reception” to UPA Govt of which is represented by dummy of Mr. Anand Sharma-said the roll of honour.

Mr. Praveen Khandelwal, Secretary General of the Confederation of All India Traders (CAIT) read out the acknowledgement statement of the dummy with the words that “ the utter efforts made by him to fulfill the commitments made to global retailers he has left no stone unturned and has protect the honour of the Country at international scenario. Since the Government has proven failed in developing infrastructure, he thought  that only the global retailers can be the saviours  and therefore in the larger interest of the Country he put all his might in inviting them to India and never cared for the democratic process  or developing the incorrect figures of food wastage as real figures, he did it all within his might even to the extent that he made major deviations in the FDI policy documents laid before the Parliament since the issue was related to the welfare of the Country.

He lambasted the opposition parties for alleging that small retailers whom the UPA called as “ bicholiye” as he has been successful to invite largest “bicholiye” over the globe to come to India which is not a joke. Has anybody done this ever before?  We cannot negate the truth that to attain something one has to lose something and whether it is the closure of small shops in India. Though the farmers will be trapped under corporate farming but at least they will not subject to committing suicide. The consumers will be benefitted for getting goods at cheap rates may be for few years and at later stage they may have to pay a bigger price as the global retailers will come in mode of monopoly but at least their dreams of getting foreign goods will be fulfilled and who has seen the future ?

He further said that the cold storage and modern transport system was not included in the definition of backend infrastructure for the simple reason that development of infrastructure is not the motto of global retailers and they have never done such exercise in any country so far. In true words they are the real “bicholiye” who will outsource the products over the globe and by selling the same, will earn profit. They are not the charity foundations. To get them into the fold strenuous efforts were made and many people were convinced though it is true that he could not consulted Indian retail stakeholders but he never missed any opportunity to meet any CEO of any international retailer since it was essential keeping in view of the nation’s interest.

Now it is the flaw of the viewer how he views the half glass of water. So far the question of manipulating majority in the Parliament its not a major issue. When international retailers can be managed then the political parties are our own people of the Country and we know the mechanism how to manage them- With these words he proceeded towards Parliament.