New Delhi: Delhi and Odisha residents could face inconvenience on Friday as wholesale and retail markets will remain closed on Friday. While the businessmen in the national capital are demanding immediate promulgation of an ordinance to stop sealing of shops in the city, Bhubaneshwar traders are protesting against the Union Cabinet approval to 100% Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) in retail sector.
According to the Confederation of All India Traders (CAIT), prominent markets in Delhi, including Connaught Place, Chawri Bazar, Chandni Chowk, Sadar Bazar, Kashmiri Gate, Pahar Ganj, Karol Bagh, South Extension, Greater Kailash, Amar Colony, Green Park, Khan Market, Rajouri Garden, Tilak Nagar, Laxmi Nagar, Vikas Marg, Lajpat Nagar, Shahdara, etc will remain closed on September 28.
CAIT Secretary General Praveen Khandelwal alleged that the Monitoring Committee is conducting sealing as per its own wishes disregarding the provisions of MCD Act. "It has caused a havoc in trading community of Delhi and the trade of Delhi is adversely affected. The DDA and MCD is threatening the traders to seal the shops by issuing notices and no one is there to listen the woes of traders," the CAIT Secretary General claimed.
Khandelwal said the government should bring an ordinance to provide relief to traders from sealing with an Amnesty Scheme, declaring maintenance of status quo as on December 31, 2017.
Meanwhile, CAIT also said that it has also called for a nation-wide Bharat Bandh on the same day against Walmart's acquisition of home-grown retail major Flipkart and FDI in retail.
"There is in fact no need of FDI in retail. Domestic trade is capable to meet the requirements of citizens. If FDI is to be allowed the pre-condition is to make domestic trade capable of competing with MNCs in terms of finance, technology etc," Khandelwal said. In January, the Union Cabinet decided to allow 100 per cent foreign direct investment (FDI) in single brand retail under automatic route, and also eased local sourcing norms.
Odisha traders will also be joining the nationwide protest. According to Odisha media organisations, Sudhakar Panda, President of Odisha Chapter of Confederation of All India Traders (CAIT) informed that around 6.35 crore retailers from across the country will join the strike to showcase their protests against the Centre’s decision to allow FDI in the Indian market. The Central government had earlier assured that it would not give permission to FDI in retail business. However, for reasons unknown, it has granted 100 percent foreign investment.
The retailers have raised as many as 12 demands including repeal of the permission for FDI in the retail sector.
A memorandum containing all the demands will be sent for the reference to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Odishatv.in quoted Panda as saying.
(With inputs from PTI)
Comments
0 comment