Call for bandh against FDI in retail evokes partial response in Gujarat

The nation-wide call for a bandh to protest against foreign direct investment (FDI) in retail sector evoked partial response in Gujarat. While semi-wholesale and wholesale dealers along with small traders and local grocery shop owners in walled city area of Ahmedabad supported the call by shutting their shops on Thursday, most of the shops on the western part (new city area) remained opened.

In Rajkot, another major business hub in the state, majority of the shops brought their shutters down in support of the bandh called by Confederation of All India Trade (CAIT).

"As many as 7,000 to 8,000 semi-wholesale and wholesale dealers in old city area observed bandh on Thursday. Traders and wholesalers in areas such as Kalupur, Madhupura, Shahpur, Raipur, Gandhi Road and Relief Road closed their shops for the day," said Jayendra Tanna, president, Federation of Gujarat Traders' Association.

However, the impact of the bandh in Rajkot was much deeper than other major cities of Gujarat. Majority of shops, including electronic and furniture showrooms, remained totally closed during the day. Traders and shop owners in Danapith, Gheekantha Road, Dharmendra Road, Parabazar, Yagnik Road, Sonibazar and Palace Road areas kept their shops closed on Thursday. The Rajkot Chamber of Commerce and Industry (RCCI) also supported the bandh.

While Southern Gujarat Chamber of Commerce and Industry (SGCCI) abstained from the bandh, the diamond industry in Surat gave marginal response to the bandh. However, the textile traders in Surat came in huge numbers to support the call for a day-long bandh.

"As many as 40,000 small and big textile traders kept their shutters down totally," said Devkishan Manghani, president, Federation of Surat Textile Traders Association.

According to Manghani, FDI in retail sector poses a great challenge to textile merchants and traders in Surat. The traders in city supply textiles from rural to urban areas across the country. "FDI in retail will limit our business as retail giants may also flood the market with cheap textiles from China," he added.

Vadodara, too, witnessed partial response to the bandh with 30-40 per cent shops mainly in Mandvi and Dandiya Bazar remained closed for few hours in the morning.