MASSIVE RALLY against FDI in Retail on March 7

New Delhi, January 18, 2013: As a part of national campaign to garner larger support from across the Country for their massive rally at New Delhi on March 7 against FDI in Retail, announced by the Confederation of All India Traders (CAIT) and Khudra FDI Virodhi Rashtriya Morcha (KFVRM), the CAIT Secretary General Praveen Khandelwal while speaking at a Traders Conference held at Mumbai today said in unequivocal terms that if the politics of Vote Bank persists, then we have no hesitation in converting the traders into a Vote Bank and no more ignorance of the trading community which is one of the integral part of national economy will be tolerated further.

He called upon the traders to prepare themselves to vote against all such parties which are supporting FDI in Retail.  “If we need to go to polling booth level in each constituency, we will do so as we already have the requisite strength of traders in each polling booth", said Khandelwal.

He further said that FDI in Retail is anti-people and anti-economy and needs to be rejected by one and all.
While addressing the traders he said that not only the traders but even other retail stakeholders including farmers, hawkers, labour unions, consumers, small industry, transports, self employed groups and cooperative sector will also take part in the proposed Delhi Rally. He said that now the time has come when begging is not going to get any favour, the government engulfed under the influence of big corporate and global retailers need a lesson and therefore Assembly elections in 2013 and Lok Sabha elections in 2014 are the golden opportunity through which can make these elections to prove as "wagterloo" for the UPA and its allies. He asked the trade brethren to take a pledge to oust this “anti trader government”. He appreciated the high handedness of the government that despite knowing well the consequences and bearing overall strong criticism from all corners, the government is yet firm on its stand. He termed it as nothing but a show of sheer ego and must be backed with certain vested interests.

Khandelwal further said that many Acts, Laws and Rules being framed by the government are pre-requisite for the entry of global retailers. The Food Safety and Standards Act, the provisions of proposed Goods and Services Tax (GST) are the living examples of such phenomenon. He said that all retail stakeholders have joined hands together to oppose FDI in Retail tooth and nail.