Nationwide campaign against retail giants on Aug 9

New Delhi, Apr 23: Up in arms against the burgeoning retail industry in the country, a National Joint Action Committee for Retail Democracy today announced to launch a nationwide campaign on August 9.

The committee, comprising mass-based organisations of traders, hawkers, farmers and trade unions, through this campaign will target the largest corporate houses, including Reliance and Bharti Wal-mart, who have entered or plans to enter the retail sector.

The committee plans to mobilise mass-based actions and trade bandhs in the major urban centres like Bangalore, Delhi, Mumbai and Kolkata on August 9, the day on which the father of nation Mahatma Gandhi kick-started 'Quit India Movement' in 1942.

Dr Vandana Shiva, social activist, said ''Retail has maximum sources of employments and livelihood and world's largest corporations were seeking to take control of it.'' Coming down heavily on the government Confederation of All India Traders Association General-Secretary Praveen Khandelwal said, the government should stop favouring these big corporate houses who aim to dominate the retail market in the coming years, putting at stake the future of 12 million shopkeepers in the country.

UNI