Terming
the Government's efforts to form consensus on FDI in multi-brand retail
without consulting traders as 'highly undemocratic', the Confederation
of All India Traders (CAIT) today said foreign investments by MNCs will
hijack the country's retail trade which would lead to closure of
majority of small businesses and job losses for lakhs of people engaged
in the sector. The CAIT has announced that any move to allow FDI in
Retail will be stoutly opposed by the trading community across the
Country. The CAIT will observe forthcoming August – the Quit India Day
as Quit FDI Day all over the Country by the traders. Series of Sit-In
and Protests will be held across the Country on the said day.
At a Press Conference held today at New Delhi, CAIT
Secretary General Praveen Khandelwal, Naresh Sirohi, General Secretary
All India Kisan Morcha and Pradeep Singal, Working President of All
India Transport Welfare Association jointly released two research books “
Impact of FDI in Retail on Farmers and Impact of FDI in Retail on Road
Transport”. The CAIT has also thanked all political parties who have
supported the protest against FDI in Retail.
The CAIT while strongly criticizing the role and
attitude of the Central Government on this issue said that entire
political spectrum is opposing FDI in Retail whereas on the other hand
the credible organizations of Traders, Farmers, Transporters, Labour
Unions, SMEs and even the Consumer organizations are opposing the move,
yet the Government is repeatedly advocating the need of FDI in Retail.
"People of India have every right to question the intent and logic
behind FDI in multi-brand retail which has been severely opposed by
majority of Indian population," CAIT said.
CAIT while quoting Arjun Sen Gupta Committee report
of Year 2005 which stated the presence of about 5.80 crore business
establishments including small and medium industries, in unorganized
sector whose annual growth was estimated @ 10%, it is estimated that
about 2.5 crore traders were part of the unorganised sector in the
report of 2005 which amply proves that presently about 5 crore business
establishments and livelihood of more than 22 crore people in the
Country is at stake with the introduction of FDI in Retail which will
lead to large scale unemployment in the Country as the MNC’s will
control and dominate the retail trade.
The living examples of USA, UK, Australia, New
Zealand and other European Countries where the MNC’s are in dominating
position and have entered into monopolistic mode & the ultimate
sufferer is the common men, are being deeply ignored by the Govt.
The CAIT further said that 53 cities identified by
the Govt for allowing FDI in Retail Trade assumes much significance as
these cities are the “feeder cities” supplying goods to other cities in
their respective states. Allowing opening retail super markets in these
cities will virtually amounts to handing over retail trade to MNCs
The government's push to open up the retail sector
is a result of 'Corporate pressure', is evident from the fact that
instead of consulting with small enterprises, the Government preferred
to meet only the representatives of big corporate chambers along with
those who were supportive of the move to allow foreign investments in
the retail sector, right from the beginning.
The CAIT asked the Government to openly debate about
the pros and cons in Parliament and in public. Otherwise, it will be
highly undemocratic to implement bureaucratic order just to benefit and
please few at the cost of millions. The unanimous report of the
Parliamentary Standing Committee should be made the subject.
The CAIT holds firm view that instead of laying red
carpet for MNC's, the government should focus on other corrective
measures which needs to be taken to further strengthen the existing
retail trade. Instead of inviting FDI in retail, the government should
work out a comprehensive strategy to upgrade and modernize the existing
retail trade.
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