Shops and business establishments, including restaurants and some hotels, remained closed on Wednesday as traders and hoteliers in Ernakulam joined a State-wide strike to protest against the Central government's move to allow foreign direct investment in the retail sector.

Trading hubs Mattancherry and Broadway remained deserted. The strike was organised to coincide with the national-level protest against FDI in the retail segment, the highlight of which was a mach to Parliament house in New Delhi. Leaders of the trading community represented by the Kerala Vyapari Vyavasayi Ekopana Samithi joined the rally and protest in New Delhi.

M.S. Raghunath, State committee member of KVVES, which called for the strike here, said that around 40,000 retailers, spread over 247 units of the samithi in Ernakulam, joined the strike.

Protests were marked by marches to government offices. Traders in the city marched to the office of the Reserve Bank of India at Kaloor. The protesting traders sat on a dharna in front of the RBI office till 1 p.m. Protests were also organised in places like Aluva, Paravoor, Moovattupuzha, Koothattukulam, Tripunithura, Angamaly and Nedumabassery.

Nearly 3,500 restaurants and hotels in the district too joined the strike.

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