Pics: Spoorthi Ullal
Daijiworld Media Network – Mangalore (SP)

Mangalore, Dec 1: On Wednesday November 30, a protest was organized by Dakshina Kannada district committee of BJP in front of the office of the district deputy commissioner here, against the decision of the union cabinet to permit 51 percent foreign direct investment in retail sector. The protestors also demanded a roll back of the above scheme.

District BJP president, K Padmanabha Kottary, city unit president, Srikar Prabhu, and others addressed the protestors. BJP leaders, K Mohan Bhandary, Sulochana V Bhat, Nitin Kumar, Chandrahas Ullal, and several others were present.

“The UPA government’s decision to allow 51 percent foreign direct investment in retail trade sector has sounded death knell for the indigenous retail trade. Retail trade contributes 14 percent to national gross domestic product. This sector, which provides employment to four crore people, also has an annual turnover of Rs 11,00,000 crore,” both Kottary and Prabhu claimed. They said that the central government was not in order in taking a one-sided decision on the above issue without holding discussions with the leaders of the retail sector or raising the issue in parliament. This sudden decision smacks of conspiracy to protect certain vested interests, they felt.

The leaders said that the BJP, which has been opposing the move tooth and nail, will ask the state government not to allow giant retail firms from abroad to set up shops in the state. They added that their party wholeheartedly supports the nation-wide bandh call given by small merchants and traders on Thursday December 1.