Today’s call for a nationwide strike (Bharat Bandh) by trade unions of street vendors, small traders, and most of the political parties from left to right and including of parties within the Govt.  and parties supporting the Govt. was historical. Millions of retailers and thousands of trade associations observed the bandh demanding rollback of FDI in multi-brand retail. All major markets were closed through out India. Public transport was off the roads and colleges, schools, offices and transport services remain shut in most part of India. Trains were blocked by political activists of BJP, SP and CPI (ML) in many places including Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal, Orissa and Jharkhand. The station Master of Patna Railway Station was locked. The impact of the strike was also seen in states of the North East. The bandh was total in Manipur. Banks, markets, shops and educational institutions were closed, with government offices recording low attendance in Meghalaya. Railway, road and others services were heavily impacted in Jharkhand. Most colleges reported only 20-50% attendance in Mumbai.

In a sit-in protest organised jointly by our campaign allies prominent national leaders from left to right shared the dais. NDA Convenor and JD(U) President Sharad Yadav asked the Congress to remove Prime Minister Manmohan Singh for this “attack on the bread of butter of 25 crore people”, while addressing the protest at Jantar Mantar. Eight parties including left parties and SP took out protest march towards Parliament and Mulayam Singh Yadav, Prakash Karat, AB Bardhan, Sitaram Yechury and Chandrababu Naidu courted arrest in parliament police station. BJP leader Venkaiah Naidu was detained in Hyderabad whereas Yeddyurappa and Ananth Kumar got arrested in Bangalore.

On the other hand, Finance Minister P Chidambaram said to media that the nation-wide strike has caused a huge damage to the Indian economy and the common people. Big Business lobby group, CII reported to media that the nation-wide strike against the government decision to allow foreign direct investment (FDI) in multi-brand retail have caused losses to the tune of Rs12,500 crore ($2.25 billion) to the Indian economy.

For Photos click:

http://dkfordignity.blogspot.in/2012/09/india-strikes-against-fdi-in-retail.html

Thanks,

Dharmendra Kumar

Dharmendra Kumar

Click here for the August report from ACORN Honduras.

September 19th, 2012

As the Govt. is in crisis after the pull out by 19 members of parliament of the Trinmool Congress in opposition to FDI in Multi Brand Retail, India is all set for a historical Bharat Bandh (all India strike) on 20th September. Our campaign allies including associations of street vendors, hawkers, independent shopkeepers, trade unions are all set for a complete bandh on 20th September to oppose FDI in retail.

All major markets would keep their shutters down throughout India. Markets in Kerala and Himachal Pradesh were closed on 18th Sept to oppose FDI in retail. Markets of both states will again remain closed on 20th September. As per reports of various trade and hawkers associations, there would be total bandh in other states as well including Punjab, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Madhya Pradesh, Orissa, Bihar, West Bengal, Assam, Gujrat, Maharashtra, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Goa and Tamilnadu.

In Delhi, more than 300 trade associations will actively participate in the strike. Delhi Vyapar Mahasangh, All Delhi Chemist Association, Delhi Hindustani Mercantile Association, Kirana Committee, Chemical Merchants Association, Delhi Grain Merchant Association, Khari Bawli Sarva Vyapar Mandal, Chandni Chowk Sarva Vyapar Mandal, Delhi Electrical Traders Association, Federation of Delhi Trade Association, Rang Rasayan Vyapar Sangh, New Lajpat Roy Market Traders Association, Paper Merchant Association, Delhi Wedding and Greeting Cards Merchants Association, Delhi File Vikreta Sangh, Delhi Iron and Hardware Merchant association, Delhi Steel Tools and Hardware Traders Association, Federation of Sadar Bazar Traders Association, Confederation of Sadar Bazaar Traders Association, Kamla Nagar Jawahar Nagar Traders Association, Naraina Iron and Steel Merchant welfare association, Karol Bagh Traders Federation, Ajmal Khan Vyapar Mandal, Delhi Scooter Traders Association, New Delhi Traders Association, General Machinery Merchants Association, Readymade Garments Association, Khan Market Traders Associations, Automotive parts merchants association, Tractor Parts Merchants Association, Peepal Mahadev Traders Association, Daal and Besan Millers Association, Lajpat Nagar Traders Association, Laxmi Nagar Traders Association, Association of Readymade garment dealers, Barna steel metal merchant association, Delhi canvas merchant association, Delhi Tyres Dealers Association, Delhi Building Material Merchant association, Delhi Vegetable Oil Traders Association, Rajdhani Oil Suppliers Association, Gaffar Market Vyapar Mandal, Karol Bagh Dwellers Association, Subhash Road Readymade Garment association, Kutub Road Traders Association, Surgical Traders Association, Sri Niwas puri Shopkeepers Association, Chandrawal Road Shopkeepers Association, Beeranpura Handloom Traders Association, Delhi Glass Bottles Traders Association, Ashok Vihar Traders Association, Shahadara Traders Association and many more have extended their support to the bandh.

Street Vendors and shopkeepers would organize protests and burn effigies of FDI in Retail in over hundred places through out Delhi. Leaders of various political parties are expected to join these protests. National Hawker Federation, Confederation of All India Traders, Bhartiya Udyog Vyapar Mandal etc. would organize protests at the Parliament as well.

Comments on FDI in India

Trinmool Congress led by West Bengal Chief Minister Ms. Mamata Banerjee pulls out from the Govt. opposing FDI in Retail. Her ministers would submit resignation to the Prime Minister on Friday.

We all have given a call for all India strike on Thursday. almost all political parties are supporting the shut down. Believe me everything in India would be on halt except essential services on Thursday. we would be holding protests as well.

New Delhi 14^th Sept. 2012

PRESS STATEMENT

Immediately Stop the removal of the suspension on FDI in Retail

Leaders of mass organizations of street vendors, workers, small shopkeepers, small manufacturers, joined by civil society organizations, consumer activists, environmentalists strongly condemned the Govt. of India decision to remove the suspension on FDI in multi brand retail.

In a press statement issued here today, Mr. Shaktiman Ghosh, General Secretary, National Hawker Federation, said that the decision has nullified the Govt. approval to Street Vendors (protection of livelihood and regulating street vending) Bill 2012. He said that livelihood of hawkers cannot be protected merely by creating vending zones if corporations are allowed to out-compete them in streets. He demanded a complete ban all corporations selling fruits, vegetables, groceries, and daily use goods. He also demanded that no corporate store should be allowed within a 2 km radius of areas with a density of hawkers. He informed that National Hawker Federation would organize protests on Monday and Tuesday in all over India.

Dharmendra Kumar, Director, India FDI Watch said that the Govt. decision is a blow to parliamentary democracy and alleged that Govt. has backstabbed the nation after promising in the parliament to not to take the decision unless a consensus is reached. Mr. Kumar further alleged that India is kneeling down under pressure from US and European governments and their industry lobbyists as it still has no binding commitment on multi-brand retail services in multilateral, regional or bilateral agreements. He termed the cabinet decision for 51% in multi-brand retail as letting off wild bulls of giant retailers without checks and balances such as regulations on number, size, location and provision of an economic needs test for opening a store as is the case in many countries around the world.

Kishan bir choudhary, Chairman, Bhartiya Krishak Samaj (Indian Farmers Forum) stated that FDI in retail would lead to monopoly of agricultural market and farmers would be taken for a ride by corporations. FDI backed retailers would dictate terms to farmers under contract farming and would turn independent farming families as bonded labour.

Vijay Prakash Jain, General Secretary, Bhartiya Udyog Vyapar Mandal (All India Federation of Traders and Manufacturers) termed the cabinet committee on political affairs decision as disaster for small traders and micro, small and medium industries.

Mr. Mohan Gurnani, President, Federation of Associations of Maharashtra said that our Govt. is refusing to learn from the experiences around the world and even failing to learn from its own experience of not being able to stop foreign cash and carry wholesalers from circumventing rules. He said that the infamous retail giant of the world Wal-Mart has entered from the back door using Bharti-Airtel as its fig leaf circumventing the wholesale cash & Carry permission. This is a gross transgression of the intention behind Wholesale Cash and Carry Permission. He accused that Bharti is only a thin cover for Wal-Mart’s profit making proclivities as it will only function as a fixed margin operator. The warning bells are dire for our small manufacturers, suppliers, shopkeepers and street vendors.”

Mr. Dineshwar Tiwary, a consumer activist said, “To justify themselves corporations are creating myths. They are creating the myth that they will sell cheap and fresh. But, consumers will have to pay for the high input of corporate retail such as real estate, air conditioning, educated salesmen and women, wasteful consumption of electricity and many more. In the long run, consumers will be the ultimate looser, as once corporate retail drive out their competitors and their monopoly is established they will buy low and sell at high price.

For further information pl contact:

Dharmendra Kumar at 9871179084 email: dkfordignity@yahoo.co.uk

Report from ACORN Kenya for August 2012.

This article is based on data collected from live interviews conducted in Nezahualcoyotl, State of Mexico, between May and July 2012.

These are the findings of a research study made possible by a partnership between the organization ACORN International and the sponsor Clinton School of Public Service.

The author and researcher is a graduate candidate for the Master’s degree of Public Service at the Clinton School, and joined ACORN International for his International Public Service research Project.

This article contains passages from the author’s original report “The Socio-economic impact of US based remittances in Nezahualcoyotl”, and was compiled for publication at Social Policy Magazine.

Click here to read The Socio Economic Impact of US Based Remittances in Nezahualcoyotl.