Traders' body plans a day's stir to oppose FDI in multi-brand retail

An association of traders has called for a day’s national protest, on August 9, to oppose the proposal to open multi-brand retail to foreign direct investment (FDI).

A Confederation of All India Traders (CAIT) alleged that though the commerce ministry had said it was consulting various stakeholders on the matter, no traders’ body anywhere in the country, or any credible organisation of farmers and transporters had been consulted. “I can say this on record, that the commerce ministry’s statement of holding talks with the stakeholders is false,” said Praveen Khandelwal, secretary general, CAIT.

On August 9, CAIT plans to hold marches and sit-in protests across all states. It has not decided on whether to ask members to shut their shops. “The right to shut shops is the biggest weapon we have, so we will use it at the right time,” added Khandelwal. He said farmers and transporters bodies would join their fight.

If the government still allows FDI in multi-brand retail, traders plan to go to every constituency and campaign against the government, ahead of the 2014 general elections, said Khandelwal. “The government’s push to open the retail sector is a result of corporate pressure and is evident from the fact that instead of consulting the small enterprises, the government preferred to meet only the representatives of big corporate chambers,” he added.

Recently, the Samajwadi Party, the Janata Dal(S) and Left parties had jointly sent a letter to the Prime Minister against the FDI-in-multibrand retail move.”