After concluding its successful Mega Rally against FDI in Retail on 7th March, 2013 at Ramlila Maidan of Delhi, the Confederation of All India Traders (CAIT), an apex body of the trading community of the Country in association with Khudra FDI Virodhi Rashtriya Morcha (KFVRM), a joint coalition of retail stakeholders has declared to launch an aggressive three month’s “ Sampark Yatra Campaign” beginning 1st April,2013 and has been designed to cover all 655 Districts in the Country. Nearly 20 thousands Trade Federations, Associations and Merchant Chambers will join hands with CAIT to spread awareness about the ill designs of the Government to handover India Bazars to global retailers in most clandestine manner.
Terming it as not less than the fight for economic Independence, the CAIT has adopted a tag line “Retail FDI Bhagao-Apne Watan Ko Bachao” and has contemplated to constitute “Retail FDI Bhagao Committee” in each district of every state. It has decided to take this issue down the line in a most determined manner.
Not only the CAIT but national organizations of other retail stakeholders like farmers, hawkers, transporters, SMEs and MSMEs, labourers, consumers, cooperative sector, self employed groups and other retail stakeholders are the part of KFVRM and have decided to fight this issuep jointly tooth and nail. The movement shall continue till the Government withdraws its notification for allowing FDI in Retail-said CAIT. To accomplish the Sampark Yatra, the CAIT has constituted a five member national Sampark Yatra Committee comprising of Senior Vice President Shri Brij Mohan Aggarwal, Orrisa, and its National Secretary Ramesh Khanna, New Delhi, R.P.Khaitan, West Bengal, Shri Jayendra Tanna, Ahemadabad, Sanjay Patwari, UP and Mahesh Bakhai, Mumbai.
Since the Government has managed to secure a vote of approval in both houses of the Parliament due to its “manipulative tactics”, the CAIT feels that the Parliament has been deprived with many true facts and figures related to FDI in Retail and therefore it will be holding a “Mock Parliament” at New Delhi in the month of April where a debate will be carried on the issue in same fashion in which proceedings of Parliament are conducted. The CAIT is also finalizing its strategy to form a Forum of Parliamentarians for Retail Democracy and the efforts will be made to include MPs from each political party whether national or regional and shall inculcate a sense among them to impress upon their respective party leadership to oppose FDI in Retail since it is against the interest of the nation. To strengthen intellectual debate on this contentious issue across the Country, the CAIT has planned to rope in leading retail experts, economists, economic columnist, Chartered Accountants, CEOs and other opinion makers and will hold a National Round Table Conference of all such people.
The CAIT and KFVRM has also planned to hold “Jan Panchayat” of farmers, hawkers, labourers, traders and other sectors of retail trade at New Delhi and all other States. It has also planned to hold “open Journalists Conferences” across the Country in which journalists shall be invited from all national and regional media of the Country including electronic news channels, news papers, news magazines, periodicals etc.
The Conference shall be named as “ Aamne Saamne” and shall be anchored by renowned journalists of the Country to make it an impartial event. The CAIT leadership shall be open to any sort of cross questioning etc. and the replies shall be made on logics supported by documents as to why FDI in Retail is opposed so that Country should know how and why the FDI in Retail will prove to be a slow poison and will lead to slavery once again.
To conduct the campaign nationwide, the CAIT has developed a unique publicity campaign based on its theme line “ Retail FDI Bhagao-Apne Watan Ko Bachao” which has been conceptualized, designed and prepared by Country’s one of the top Ad Company R. K. Swamy Hansa Group of Mumbai. The publicity campaign has been translated into 13 languages coupled by an Anthem composed by noted bollywood Music Director Salim-Suleman. A ring tone is also being prepared to spread the message. A Techno Group of Computer Professionals has also been formed to make optimum use of social sites facebook and twitter etc.