Hyderabad, November 29: The Bharatiya Janata Party has given a call for ‘Traders’ Bandh’ on December 1 in protest against the Centre’s decision to allow 51 per cent Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) in the retail sector.
Addressing a press conference here on Monday, BJP State unit president G Kishan Reddy said that the entry of foreign retail giants would affect the livelihood of thousands of small and medium level traders across the country. He said small businessmen and traders like kirana merchants, milk vendors and medical shops owners would be badly affected with the entry of retail giants.
Kishan Reddy said that the Centre’s decision to allow 51 per cent FDI was aimed at benefitting the corporates and the fate of small traders was not taken into consideration. He said the BJP has decided to hold protests across the country which would begin with the ‘Traders’ Bandh’ on December 1. He appealed to all traders and small business to participate in the proposed bandh.
Speaking about the drought situation in the State, the BJP state-chief demanded that the Centre grant a Rs 10,000 crore relief package for the farmers in the State. He alleged that neither the Centre nor the State Government has extended any help to the distressed farmers in the drought-affected areas. He said the farmers have been suffering heavy losses due to unfavourable climatic conditions for the past several months. However, the farmers were yet to receive relief from the government.
Kishan Reddy asked Chief Minister N Kiran Kumar Reddy to take an all-party delegation to New Delhi to seek Centre’s assistance for the drought-hit farmers of the State. He also demanded that the government waive off the interest on loans which has increased from 7 to 11 per cent after they were rescheduled.
——Agencies