Traders Bharat Trade Bandh tomorrow against FDI in Retail

September 19, 2012

To lodge strong protest against decision of the Government to allow FDI in Retail, the Confederation of All India (CAIT) has called for a Bharat Trade Bandh tomorrow in which more than 5 crore traders, hawkers, labourers,farmers and people of other sectors of retail trade will participate. There will be no commercial activity tomorrow across the Country.The Traders Bharat Trade Bandh will be peaceful and non-violent. The traders in different cities of all States will take out Protest March, Demonstration and will burn the effigy of FDI. More than 25 thousand Trade Associations across the Country will observe complete Trade Bandh.
In New Delhi, the CAIT is holding a Protest Dharna tomorrow at Jantar Mantar which will be joined by NDA Convenor Sharad Yadav, BJP Leader Dr. Murli Manohar Joshi, Shri Prakash Karat, General Secretary, Communist Party of India (M), Shri A. B. Bardhan, General Secretary, Communist Party of India beside leaders of other political parties. Mr. Saudan Singh of National Hawkers Federation and Ms. Amarjeet Kaur of All India Trade Union Congress will also join the Dharna.
There will be complete Trade Bandh in Delhi, Maharashtra, West Bengal, Tamilnadu, Andhra Pradesh, Kerala, UP, Madhya Pradesh, Chattisgarh, Jharkhand, Orrisa, Uttrakhand,Punjab, Haryana, Jammu and Kashmir and other States and Union Territories.
In a Press Conference held today at New Delhi, CAIT National Secretary General Mr. Praveen Khandelwal countered the claim of the Government that it is for the States to allow FDI in Retail or not. This statement is totally baseless and misleading the country-alleged Khandelwal. He informed that under the Bilateral Investment Promotion Treaty signed by the Govt of India, the Foreign Investor has to be given “National Treatment” which means that a State can not discriminate between Indian and Foreign Investor. On the other side, the Indian partner of MNC’s will approach the Court citing Right to Trade as his fundamental right. This way, the MNC’s will be able to operate their business activities.
Mr. Khandelwal said that it is irony of the nation that the so called Economist educated in foreign countries are preparing the economic policies. They do not have any idea about the ground reality of Indian retail trade and they are purely dependent upon the survey and reports prepared by foreign survey agencies. Such a situation has resulted into present dilapidated condition of the Indian economy. On the other hand the Govt did not think it proper to even consider the unanimous report of the Parliamentary Standing Committee.
He further said that the MNC’s will not create any new market but will make place for them in the existing retail market by displacing the small shopkeepers. It will also destroy the economic and social fabric of the Country and will adversaly impact traders,hawkers,transporters,farmers and other sections of retail trade.
Delhi State President of CAIT Narender Madan said that in Delhi all wholesale and retail markets including entire walled city, Kashmiri Gate, Kamla Nagar, Karol Bagh, Connught Place, Sadar Bazar, Rajouri Garden, Kirti Nagar, Lajpat Nagar, South Extension, Paharganj, Pitampura, Rohini, Tilak Nagar, Uttam Nagar, Jail Road, Vikas Marg, Laxmi Nagar, Tughlaqabad, Kalkaji and other areas will remain closed.