Traders hold unique protest against FDI

Delhi’s Jantar Mantar on Sunday witnessed a unique mode of protest by senior BJP leader Murli Manohar Joshi and Confederation of All India Traders (CAIT) against Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) in multi-brand retail.

 

The protestors got hold of a buffalo calf and played the ‘been’ (pungi) near its ears for more than 30 minutes to symbolise the current relationship between the Congress government and the people.

 

Dr. Joshi compared the government to the buffalo saying that it has turned deaf and blind to the pleas of the people. To give a literal sense to the phrase ‘Bhains ke aage been bajana’ (singing a hymn to a buffalo), he along with members of CAIT went all out playing the ‘been’ in front of the calf, while the animal looked on decorated in protest banners and garlands.

 

“People are against FDI in retail. But the government has behaved like a buffalo which continues chewing its food to fill its stomach without bothering about the been being played, which symbolises the demands of the people”, said Dr. Joshi.

 

He challenged the Congress government to a public debate on the pros and cons of FDI and alleged that Congress instead chose to “mislead” the people by holding a rally.

 

When pointed out that Congress’ rally at Pragati Maidan on the same day was drawing crowds whereas no one turned up for his protest, Joshi said that Congress brought rented people from Haryana for the rally.

 

“Our protest is symbolic. We did not want to draw in crowds. If we wanted people to come, we would have chosen to hold the protest at Ramlila Maidan. The Congress has spent crores of rupees to hold the rally and to rent crowds from neighbouring states such as Haryana. They do not have support of Delhi people which they claim”, alleged Joshi. “The rally shows that Congress is scared”, he added.

 

The Congress too held a rally at Pragati Maidan on Sunday in support of FDI in multi-retail. The protest organised by Joshi and CAIT was expected to negate the impactof Congress’ rally to some extent. However, with no crowd turning up, the protest turned out to be a mere spectacle.

 

Joshi instead claimed success in the two Bharat bandhs held in the recent months saying that it had already showed the mood of the people. “People want elections immediately. They are waiting to throw Congress out of power”, he said.

 

CAIT National Secretary General Praveen Khandelwal said that the government was shying away from facing the Parliament on FDI in retail. He reiterated that FDI would harm the interests of farmers and small traders. He also alleged that the government was misleading the people on many fronts related to this law.

 

 

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