As many as 45 traders, representing almost 30 merchant associations, were arrested on Wednesday when they attempted to block trains in protest against Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) in multi-brand retail.
J. Manohar, secretary of Confederation of Traders’ Associations, told reporters that they would fight tooth and nail against FDI in retail as allowing of foreign capital in the segment could be catastrophic for people running groceries, eateries and small-scale shops selling electrical goods and hardware items, among others.
He said that the shopping malls by foreign companies, if allowed to be set up, would take away the market share held by the small retailers in the long run. A large contingent of local police and Railway Protection Force present near the railway station blocked the entry of the agitators into the platform.
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