Retail Trade Cell of Swadeshi Jagaran Manch organised a convention of retail traders in Jamshedpur, Jharkhand recently. Inaugurating the convention, Dr Ashwini Mahajan, president of the Retail Trade Cell, said the Government of India allowed the entry of big companies in retail trade from January last year. With the opening of a mall at least 1000 small traders are affected. The total turn over of the retail trade in India is about Rs 4,50,000 while the annual turn over of WalMart alone is more than Rs 26 lakh crore. He said the big companies would push the small traders out of competition. He said agitations against these companies have begun all over the world. The governments of France, Japan, Korea, Germany, etc. have banned the sale of meat, fish, vegetables, petroleum products, fruits, rice, tobacco, salt, milk, etc. in the big malls. The agitation has begun in all states of India also and the government should be forced to withdraw permission to the big companies in the retail trade.
Shri Mahavir Lal Vishwakarma, state convener, pointed out that a big agitation has begun in Jharkhand against the big companies. He said the state government would be forced not to allow the entry of big companies. Shri Mohanlal Agrawal, president of Jamshedpur Chambers of Commerce said the big companies would not be allowed to open malls in Jamshedpur. Shri R.N. Gupta, president of Singhbhoom Chamber of Commerce assured full cooperation to the Swadeshi Jagaran Manch in this fight.
Later, in a resolution the convention demanded the government not to allow the big companies directly or indirectly in retail trade. The Government should not provide land to the big companies in any city of the country to open malls. (FOC)
