Traders across India protest against FDI in retail

Jaipur /Varanasi/ Nagpur, Dec 1 (ANI): Traders across the country are protesting against the government's decision to allow Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) in the multi-brand retail sector.

In Jaipur, wholesale and retail traders gathered in large numbers outside the multinational store named 'Carrefour' on Wednesday and raised slogans against the government and burnt effigies of multinational companies.

"We protested by burning effigies of the multinational companies like the way we did it day before yesterday and today in Jaipur outside their showroom we burnt the effigy and we totally condemned it and what to show to people that the federal and state government are doing dictatorship, we totally condemned the products of the international and will protest against both who are selling these products and buying these products," said Kishen Lal, a protestor.

Meanwhile, in Varanasi, activists of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), were also seen holding banners and placards.

"We just want to tell the government that if these multinational companies will come in such small places then the traders of this place will forcefully have to sell there body parts to earn their living, we just request the government with the decision of FDI in retail, please allow us to sell our body parts in the market as we are not being able to figure out any other way to lead our families," said Raju Mishra, a protestor.

In Nagpur, traders took out their clothes and protested on streets by begging money from the public.

"See, when we were third world country then our traders helped our country to move out from the rule of multi-national companies and today, we are going to be the world's third largest economy, so the multinational companies are trying to create the pressure on our country and want to rule our market and from this millions of people will get unemployed," said Rajesh Aggarwal, a protestor.

They also urged Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to give them some alms, as now they have no mode of earning because of FDI in retail.

Last Thursday, the Cabinet approved 51 percent FDI in multi- brand retail, As per this move, many global retailers like Wal-Mart, Carrefour and Tesco can open outlets in India.

But the new policy, seen as one of the most important government economic reforms in years, may commit supermarkets to strict local sourcing requirements and minimum investment levels aimed at protecting jobs. (ANI)