Nagpur: The ‘Bharat Bandh’ called by CAIT (Confederation of All India Traders) to protest against the US retail giant Walmart’s acquisition of Flipkart evoked a mix response in city on Friday, September 28. CAIT is also protesting against Foreign Direct Investment in retail.
Many traders downed their shutters, however few remained open quoting, “They did not receive any letters from their respective associations.”
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Nagpur Today visited Mahal, Itwari, Gandhibagh, Sitabuldi and other markets to take a deep sight of Bandh and found out that shops comprising electronics goods, were closed. However, garments, hardware shops were open. When asked about the reason of not supporting the CAIT Bandh, all had one common answer, “We did not receive any letters from our respective associations regarding the Bharat Bandh.”
Praveen Jain, owner of Namita Enterprises told Nagpur Today that he sells both electronic goods and water pumps. Followed by Bandh, he received a letter from CAIT committee but the regional water pump and pipes association did not send any letter due to which all the other shops who sell pipes remained open. As a result, he shut down one end of his shop (comprising electronic goods) while the other end was operating as usual.
“Without conducting any sort of meeting or taking our opinion in count the CAIT local body has sent us just a piece of paper asking us close our shops on Friday. However I do agree with the points mentioned in the memorandum but we should not feel left out when it comes to decision making” he mentioned.
However when Nagpur Today approached garment sellers in Mahal, they had one common answer that they did not receive any letter regarding bandh from their respective organizations.
BC Bhartia, National President of the Confederation of All India Traders (CAIT), told Nagpur Today, “By providing new avenues to enter foreign companies in India, the government is not only harassing traders but also to labourer, farmers, small retailers.” He further said that the Walmart-Flipkart deal will adversely affect the small businesses in the country. This move will prove to be much disastrous for SMEs, small industries and for national economy as well. Multi National Companies (MNC) are being given a passage to enter into retail trade of India, is nothing but distressing knowing all the ill effects,” he mentioned.
Petrol pumps in the city remained closed on Friday from 12 noon to 4 pm as Vidarbha petroleum dealers participated in CAIT’s call of ‘Bharat Trade Bandh.’
The Nagpur District Chemist and Druggist Association have also supported trade bandh. As per the directives of All India Organisation of Chemists and Druggist (AIOCD) and Maharashtra State Chemist and Druggist Association (MSCDA), they observed bandh to protest against the proposed on-line pharmacy bill.
…Shubham Nagdeve
