Kerala - Kochi   

Traders threaten to ‘break’ retail outlets

Staff Reporter

KOCHI: The Kerala Vyapari Vyavasayi Ekopana Samiti, which observed a traders’ hartal on Wednesday to protest against the entry of multi-national retail chains into Kerala, has threatened to demolish their shopping outlets. T. Nazarudheen, president of the samiti, told The Hindu that so far the agitation against the retail chains, spearheaded by the samiti, had been peaceful. But, from next month it would turn violent.

“We will break their shops,” he warned. Those renting shopping space to these chains would also face the same fate. He said that nearly a quarter of the shopkeepers in the State were young men and women and that their ire against the retail chains could not be kept under leash for long.

The samiti had earlier warned the Reliance group of companies that if they opened retail chains in Kerala, all Reliance products would be boycotted by the retail traders.

He pointed out that the Reliance Group had recently opened three supermarkets in Kochi. One of them was inaugurated by Dinesh Mani, MLA, and the other by Deputy Mayor Mani Shankar. This, Mr. Nazarudheen complained, was despite the CPI(M)’s and the LDF’s stated opposition to the multi-national retail chains.

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