Jammu: Chamber of Commerce and Industries (CCI) today called for a day-long peaceful strike call on September 22 (Wednesday) against the opening of 100 Reliance stores in Jammu.
“All the organizations have extended their support to the bandh call. We have given a one day token bandh call on Wednesday but if our demands are not accepted, we may go for an indefinite bandh with support from all the organizations,” said president, CCI, Arun Gupta.
“Walmart was opened for business to business (B2B) business in Jammu, but they are doing business to customers (B2C) business as well which has affected our business in Jammu. And, now they are opening 100 Reliance stores in Jammu and 3 in Kashmir which will further have adverse effects on Jammu businessmen.”
“If they (Reliance stores) will employ Jammu’s 1000 youth, 20000 stores (karyana stores/wholesalers) will close with the opening of Reliance stores. In these stores, they will have all types of goods from shoes, medicines to groceries,” he said.
President CCI said that “this is discrimination with Jammu and they will not tolerate it.”
He criticized the claim that the government have stopped exchequer loss in Darbar Move upto Rs 200 crore. He questioned the reason with which the darbar move practice has allegedly stopped.
“Their decision has compelled the people of Kashmir to remain in the valley and Jammu people in their own region. If they do not come to Jammu and we cannot go there (Kashmir), then why have we kept Jammu and Kashmir as a single Union Territory. It should be separated into two Union Territories,” he said.
He said the scheduled visit of MPs is planned by the officials, and they do not meet the public representatives which is unfortunate. “How can we project our demands before these MPs?”
“Sikh, Jain, Mahajan, and Khatri have been barred from buying agricultural land. “We raised an issue but it has not been resolved in the last 2 years. We are told that they cannot meet due to the working,” he said.
“Hotel industry is totally disturbed completely and no one is talking about it. All the Jammu based things being disturbed like banquet hall, cinema halls unlike rest of the country,” he said.
Highlighting multiple issues being confronted by the businessmen in Jammu, Gupta said: “We have many issues which include wine shop, bar and restaurants, sand and mining, banquet hall owner’s issues and the biggest among them is the opening of reliance stores.”
He was accompanied by bazaar associations from across Jammu who were present during the presser.