The Hindu : Front Page : Protest against retail giants

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Thursday, Oct 11, 2007
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Protest against retail giants

Staff Reporter

GATHERING FOR A CAUSE: Over 20,000 traders, farmers and shopkeepers staged a protest in Azad Maidan, Mumbai, on Wednesday against the entry of private retail giants like WalMart into the country, which they say will destroy millions of livelihoods. The protest was the biggest in the country yet against the ambitions of foreign and local companies to introduce Western-style supermarkets.. - PHOTO: VIVEK BENDRE

MUMBAI: Over 20,000 people gathered at Azad Maidan here on Wednesday to protest against the entry of corporates and foreign chains such as Wal-Mart into retail trade in India.

The protesters, who were also demanding the implementation of labour laws in Special Economic Zones, belonged to diverse groups such as retailers, wholesale traders, hawkers and Mathadi labourers. They are opposing the amendments to the Agricultural Produce Marketing Committee Act that allows corporates to buy products from farmers and sell them directly to the consumers.

“Various groups that have never come together are protesting all over the State under the umbrella of “Vyapar Rozgar Suraksha Kriti Samiti,” Mohan Gurnani, president of the Federation of Association of Maharashtra (FAM) said. “Our demands are simple,” said Narendra Patil, leader of the Mathadi workers’ union. “We want the amendment to the APMC Act cancelled. We do not want big corporates, Indian or otherwise, to enter the retail industry and labour laws should be implemented in SEZs.”

Some action would be required if their demands fell on deaf ears, he told the gathering. He referred to the closing down of Reliance Fresh outlets in Uttar Pradesh and called for a similar action from the Mathadi workers.

Speakers such as Vivek Monterio of the Centre of Indian Trade Unions and trade unionist Baba Adhao said it was a myth that farmers and consumers would benefit from “farm to fork” strategy. For several years, middlemen were blamed for farmers getting poor returns. The big giants would wipe out competition and monopolise the business. It would only lead to exploitation of farmers and consumers, they said.

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