The Hindu : Kerala / Thiruvananthapuram News : KVVES protest against retail giants

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Kerala - Thiruvananthapuram

KVVES protest against retail giants

Special Correspondent

Photo: S. Gopakumar

Traders’ protest: T.Naziruddin, president of the Kerala Vyapari Vyvasayi Ekopana Samithi, addressing an Assembly march taken out by the organisation on Thursday demanding a law to prevent monopolies from entering the retail sector. -

Thiruvananthapuram: A majority of traders all over the State downed shutters in response to a call for a dawn-to-dusk protest by the Kerala Vyaparai Vyavasayi Ekopana Samithi (KVVES) against the entry of monopoly retail chains in the State.

Hotels and medical shops remained open but most other shops were closed.

Markets and shopping centres wore a deserted look and trading activities came to a standstill.

Assembly march

Thousands of traders participated in an Assembly march organised in the city by the KVVES demanding legislation to control retail giants.

Cess on VAT

The rallyists also raised slogans demanding withdrawal of the cess on Value Added Tax. Right from dawn, buses carrying traders from all parts of the State started streaming into the city.

By 11 a.m., the roads were choked with protestors and their vehicles.

The march led by KVVES leaders started from the Museum Junction. The police blocked the protestors near the War Memorial. KVVES State president T.Naziruddin addressed the rally.

Pannian Ravindran, MP, Aanathalavattom Anandan, MLA, KVVES general secretary Alex M. Thomas and district president Peringamala Ramachandran also spoke.

Police pickets were posted near retail chain outlets in the city to prevent untoward incidents.

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