Quit India: Retail traders tell malls

An association of retail traders, hawkers, trade co-operatives and labour unions have threatened to launch a mass agitation against multinationals operating huge retail malls in the country and have even given them a deadline of August 9 to shut shops.

“We have chosen August 9 as our D-day because that was the day Mahatma Gandhi launched his Quit India Movement,” General Secretary of Mumbai Mahanagar Vyapari Seva Parishad, Rajendra Thacker said.

REASON FOR PROTEST

Thacker claims that the small trader in the country would soon perish if the entry of huge multinationals and corporates in the retail sector is not stopped.

“We have the support of four crore people, comprising of retail traders and the people employed through it, all across the country. It is their lively hood at stake, and therefore we are forced to adopt such an aggressive step,” he said.

BUSINESS REDUCED TO HALF

Prabhakar Mane, Chairman of the Co-operative outlet Apna Bazaar points out that with chains of cheap gift stores coming into business, the gift segement has been reduced to just 50 per cent of the original.

“We give out a very transparent pricing wherein the consumer even comes to know our purchase price. But such huge malls do not disclose their costs, and sell their products at much less to capture the market,” he told Mumbai Mirror.

SERIES OF ACTIONS

Advocate Vinod Shetty of ‘India FDI Watch’ states that they are in the process of organising traders all across the country in order to mobilise mass support.

“The trader is just beginning to feel the pressure with unfair competition,” he said, adding that, according to a study conducted by EPW (Economic and Political Weekly), there has already been a decrease of 15 to 25 per cent in day-to-day business.

Interestingly, Shetty has also said that the association would be sending official representations to malls such as Reliance Fresh and others belonging to business houses such as Tata and Birla demanding that they shut shop as it affects the livelihood of small traders.

Shetty also said that after the deadline, the traders would adopt forceful means to make the message clear.

“We will go and sell their products in the compound of these malls,” he said.

Shetty added that they have already given adequate representations to the central government.

“We have the support of the CPI(M), which has been representing us in the central government. In fact, the Kerala government is also planning a law, which will prevent the entry of multinationals in the retails sector in the state.”
Consumers to benefit in the long run: Traders

According to Thacker a lot could be learnt from the examples of neighbouring countries where foreign multinationals have made a foray.

“Corporates such as Wal-Mart initially sell their products below the market price, suffering losses, but when they have wiped out all the competition and created a monopoly, they slowly hike the prices. So it is wrong to believe that the consumer is benefiting from low price products,” he said.

When contacted, Reliance Industry spokesperson stated that the company hasn’t received any official representation from the trade unions and would deal with the situation when it does.

An official at Birla, which is setting up its own retail venture under the brand name of ‘More’, also chose not to comment on the issue.

http://www.mumbaimirror.com/net/mmp...&sectid=5&contentid=200707110228317039ce1adc2
 
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