Traders to observe bandh tomorrow against FDI in retail

New Delhi: Traders’ body CAIT today said its members in different states will observe bandh tomorrow in protest against the government’s decision to allow FDI in multi-brand retail sector.

“There will be no commercial activity across the country. Traders in different cities will take out protest marches and demonstrations,” Secretary General of the Confederation of All India Traders (CAIT) Praveen Khandelwal told reporters here.

He said several leaders of different political parties, which are also observing the nation-wide bandh, will address a rally of retail traders at Jantar Mantar.

About 25,000 trade associations representing five crore traders, hawkers, labourers and farmers will participate in the bandh, Khandelwal claimed. Several political parties, including Trinamool Congress,

BJP, JD(U), Samajwadi Party and BSP are opposing the FDI in retail.

Contradicting the Commerce Ministry’s clarification, CAIT Secretary General said once the sector is opened to foreign investors they will have to be given the national treatment under different bilateral treaties.

He said the government stand that these treaties would not affect the states’ rights to allow or disallow foreign retailers was “misleading and baseless”.

He said that multi-national companies would displace small shopkeepers and will adversely impact traders and hawkers.