FDI in retail: Left trade arm of Forward Bloc, United Trade Union Congress (UTUC) to protest

KOLKATA: Left trade unions in West Bengal will organise a movement against the UPA government for its move to allow 51 per cent ownership in FDI retail. The trade union arm of Forward Bloc, United Trade Union Congress ( UTUC), will hold a protest demonstration across West Bengal on August 5 and 6 to oppose the Centre's initiative.

The UTUC leader Naran Chatterjee said on Monday that they will hold the demonstration to alert the people about the Centre's plan. "We will hold such demonstrations in front of all the important markets across the state. Later, we might go for similar protest demonstrations in front of major outlets like Metro Cash & Carry," Chatterjee informed.

The CPIM's trade union arm, Citu, has also opposed the Centre's plan. Citu state president Shyamal Chakraborty said in a statement on Monday that "about 16 crore people of our country are involved in retail business. The Centre's move will destroy their business prospects as there is no guarantee that the upper limit for FDI ownership will remain at 51 per cent."

Quoting a FICCI report, Chakraborty also said that "in the coming few years, retail trade in our country will contribute 44 per cent of the capacity of our internal production. Presently, there is 11 retail outlets in our country for every 1,000 population. Same is the ratio in West Bengal. All the trade unions and organisations of retail trade business will have to fight vehemently against the Centre's move."

Chakraborty also did not spare the Trinamool Congress-run West Bengal government. "We are also warning the state government. If they try to pursue the Centre's move in West Bengal, we will thwart the same at any cost. We also want to remind those who had voted for the Trinamool Congress in the previous elections that the Trinamool, too, in their election manifesto, had opposed the Centre's plan," Chakraborty added.

The Left parties in West Bengal are not getting any major issue on the basis of which they can organise a movement against the Trinamool Congress-run government. Naturally, the Left parties and their trade unions are trying to mobilise public opinion against Mamata Banerjee's government by giving an impression that her government was supporting the Centre on the FDI issue.

The Citu will also go for a statewide movement against the Centre's plan. A senior Citu leader said that they will soon announce their agitation programme.