Jammu traders shut down against 'anti-business' policies of J&K admin

Normal life in Jammu was disrupted on Wednesday because of a strike called by the Jammu Chamber of Commerce to protest against the business policies of the government, which included the proposed opening of 100 Reliance retail stores.

Business establishments, including small departmental stores and sweet shops were shut, and public transport remained off the roads in many places. The otherwise busy vegetable and fruit mandis in Jammu also remained shut in the wake of the strike call.

The strike call was supported by transporters, the Bar Association, political parties and industrialists, who organised peaceful protest gatherings in several parts of the city. This was the first strike call in Jammu since August 5, 2019, when Article 370, which gave special status to Jammu and Kashmir, was abrogated and the state was bifurcated into two union territories.


“Government lacks clarity and vision regarding the business policies for J&K. The anti-business and anti-trade policies are hurting us all, this is why you saw such an unprecedented response to our strike call,” said Arun Gupta, president of the JCCI, who led a peaceful protest march. He alleged that the administration made several attempts to ensure that the strike was called off.

The proposed opening of 100 Reliance retail stores in Jammu triggered the strike call, but Gupta said that there were other major issues like the excise policy and cancellation of annual Darbar move of government employees -- from summer capital Srinagar to winter capital Jammu for six months-- which has had adverse impact on the business in Jammu.

Reliance in a statement said the company was not planning to open its retail chain in Jammu, but Gupta alleged the company had put up store front signs at several places and removed them in wake of the strike call.

The business community demanded that the government take them into confidence while formulating policies for the sector, and also revoke all decisions that hurt them. "If the government doesn’t take us into confidence and find a solution to our problems, we will be forced to put forth our case in a more vociferous manner,” said Gupta.