A LARGE number of traders, under the banner of the Kashi Vyapar Pratinidhi Mandal, staged a dharna and burnt the effigy of Union Minister for Finance P Chidambaram, at Lahurabeer crossing here on Tuesday.
The traders demanded restriction on the proposed Foreign Direct Investment in the retail trade sector, withdrawal of the Fringe Benefit Tax etc.
The traders strongly criticised the stand of Union Minister for Commerce Kamal Nath for favouring implementation of FDI in the retail trade sector and demanded an open discussion and opinion poll on this issue. The traders also submitted a 20-point charter of demands to administrative officials to be forwarded to the Prime Minister of India.
Kashi Vyapar Pratinidhi Mandal president Arun Keshari said traders were committed to oppose the Centre’s move on FDI in the retail trade sector.
General secretary of the Pratinidhi Mandal alleged that the Centre was acting under pressure of the World Bank, the World Trade Organisation and MNCs.
He added that the retail trade sector was unorganized, but it held 98 per cent share in the marketing sector of the country.
{{/usCountry}}He added that the retail trade sector was unorganized, but it held 98 per cent share in the marketing sector of the country.
{{/usCountry}}Other prominent trade leaders, including Badruddin Ahmed, Sanjay Keshari, Akhilesh Singh, Suman Lata Agrawal, Mahesh Maheshwari, Sona Lal Seth, Sarita Tripathi, Subhash Singh Patel, Devendra Mohan Pathak and Suresh Dutt Dubey also addressed the traders.
He called upon the traders to be prepared for a massive movement against the alleged anti-trader policy of the Centre.