India: 50 Million Strikers Against Retail Reform

After an initial report last year against the political outcry and anger of small traders, the Prime Minister, Manmohan Singh, has reintroduced this reform last week as part of a series of measures to stimulate the economy in loss speed.

Responding to the call of the opposition parties, trade unions and small traders who fear for the survival of their stalls against multinationals, many markets were closed in the country. Rail traffic was also disrupted in several states. Several demonstrations were planned throughout the day in New Delhi and other cities. The umbrella organization of nearly 10,000 Indian Trade Unions, the Confederation of All India Traders (CAIT), expects that the strike will be followed by 50 million people.

Bombay spared

NbspDes & thousands of police were deployed in Calcutta (is) to prevent overflow in the city of West Bengal where shops, markets and offices were closed for twenty-four hours while the tracks were blocked. "The trains are stopped in West Bengal, as the strikers occupy the railways," said a spokesman for regional railways, Samir Goswami. According to the police, protesters also blocked some highways.

Activists of the opposition Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), joined by supporters, were also collected at stations in the state of Bihar (north) to block rail traffic. Private schools were closed disadvantaged State, but public schools and offices were not affected.

Bus drivers and truck were also involved in the strike to protest against an increase of 12% of subsidized diesel. The economic capital of India, Mumbai, was not affected by this movement, local political parties refused to support the strike. According to government reform, foreign groups such as the American Walmart, Tesco and Carrefour the French will acquire up to 51% of the capital of the Indian multi-brand retailers.