FDI in India: Total shut-down of shops in Tripura in FDI protest

AGARTALA: Shops in Tripura today observed a total shut-down in response to the 12-hour trade bandh called to protest FDI in retail.

Official reports said not a single shop was open anywhere in the state.

The police said security had been beefed up all over the state.

The All Tripura Merchant Association and the All Tripura Grocery Association announced their support to the strike which has been called by the 'Bharatiya Udyog Vyapar Mandal', a national level traders' consortium, and supported by the ruling CPI-M and the Tripura unit of BJP.

The opposition Congress has opposed the bandh. "If foreign equity is allowed in the retail market, it would directly hit the livelihood of 22 crore small businessmen in the country which is not acceptable at all," Tripura Food and Civil Supplies Minister Manik Dey had told reporters yesterday.