Traders in Jammu are protesting the opening of Reliance wholesale and retail stores in the city, claiming that this would lead to outsiders taking over their jobs and businesses.
The protests have attracted charges of a double standard as the traders had supported the revocation of Jammu and Kashmir’s special status provision in Article 370 that has facilitated Reliance’s entry. Sunday’s protests took place outside a new Reliance wholesale store that the traders say will be followed by retail outlets.
The protests were led by Arun Gupta, president of the Chamber of Commerce and Industries, Jammu, a body known for supporting the BJP-led Centre’s Jammu and Kashmir policy. He was joined by Deepak Gupta, president of the Traders Federation Ware House Nehru Market.
Deepak said: “The government has given permission to open a Reliance Smart Bazaar store which will sell everything from groceries and medicines to electronics goods and liquor. Who will go to the small shopkeepers?”
Maneesh Chibber, a journalist from Jammu, questioned the traders’ stand. “Jammu traders are opposing allowing big national brands like Reliance, etc, to open stores in Jammu. Why?”
“Isn’t it what they wanted when they blindly cheered partial revocation of Article 370 & got angry when Kashmiris questioned it? What happened to true national integration?” Chibber tweeted.
Jammu activist Guftar Choudhary posted a sarcastic tweet, saying: “Reliance stores must be opened in Jammu. Business community of Jammu shouldn’t oppose economic integration with rest of country. No need to create drama now, you remained silent when historic state was downgraded to UT & #article370 was abrogated. Now feel the heat.”
Businesses from outside could open shop in Jammu and Kashmir even before the 2019 changes, but only by meeting conditions that made the move unprofitable for many of them.
Jammu had observed a shutdown in September last year — the first such protest after the constitutional changes of 2019 — after the government gave permission to Reliance. The company then shelved the plan, apparently because of the protests, but seems to have revived it.
Jammu’s traders have threatened a hunger strike if the permission to Reliance is not scrapped.
Scores of Congress leaders and activists have taken to the streets in support of the traders. Congress leader Raman Bhalla said Jammu’s traders would suffer if big business was allowed to open stores in the city.
The Congress and several Jammu-based parties recently joined hands with the Valley-based alliance campaigning for the restoration of the provisions of Article 370 to block the purported inclusion of outsiders in the voter list.