Traders and industry bodies will be staging a one-day ‘bandh' by shutting down shops on Thursday,across Tamil Nadu, as a show of protest against the decision of the Union Government to permit foreign direct investment (FDI) in multi-brand retail trade in the country.
The decision is much against the expressed opposition by many in the country — from the Parliamentary Standing Committee, Deputy Chairman of the Planning Commission and even the Chairman of the Economic Advisory Council to the Prime Minister, allies of the ruling party, State Governments in Tamil Nadu, Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal and even the Congress-ruled Kerala – and is fraught with serious economic consequences. The Tamil Nadu Foodgrains Merchants Association (TFMA) has cautioned members of both the Rajya Sabah and the Lok Sabah as early as July 2010, giving succinctly the reasons and grounds for rejection of such a move, said Mr P. Subash Chandra Bose, Vice-President of TFMA, here on Tuesday.
Addressing a press meet in connection with the proposed bandh, he said that disappointed and ignored, the Parliament is also seen being paralysed over this issue. The Government's move is anti-national and anti-people and as a show of protest, trade and industry bodies will be observing the bandh across the country. The Bharatiya Udyog Mandal, the Confederation of All India Traders, the National Hawker Federation, the Delhi Vyapar Mahasang, will lead the strike along with other associations. In Tamil Nadu, along with TFMA, Madurai District Tiny and Small Scale Industries Association, Tamilnadu Vanigar Sangangalin Peramaippu, 60 other associations are participating across the State, he said.