Reliance Retail should operate through existing retailers

Kochi, Sep 3 (UNI) Even as Reliance Retail faces the heat in states like as Uttar Pradesh and Kerala, noted jurist V R Krishna Iyer has suggested that the company operate through existing retailers so that shopkeepers are not thrown out of business.

In a letter to Reliance Retail Chief Executive Eby Mathews, the former Supreme Court judge has praised the company for offering to sell goods at a lower price while giving direct cash to agricultural producers.

While this would benefit both farmers and consumers, care should be taken that existing retailers were not rendered unemployed and for this purpose, Reliance Retail should operate through existing retailers insisting that the lesser prices be passed on to the customers, Justice Iyer said.

Describing Reliance as a mega-corporate business, he said social and economic justice may sometimes require capital investment on a large scale, once the State takes care to see that monopolist exploitation did not damage public interest.

He said Reliance may be given a chance to operate in Kerala provided it fulfils its assurance that it would work in national interest, with consumer concern as a priority and facilitation of organic farming, putting farmers in direct contact with the consumers, thereby eliminating midlemen.

Observing that the state must be vigilant in watching and controlling 'Big Business', Justice Iyer however said this should be guided by people's well being and not dogmatic or propagandist ideology.

Justice Iyer said the Kerala was suffering from a ''dependencia syndrome'' as its agricultural production had collapsed by neglect.

He said Kerala must motivate and initiate 'swadeshi' rice growing and ''if Reliance is supportive of this mission, I certainly appreciate their coprorate operation in the state.'' UNI