Jammu traders protest against opening of 100 stores by Reliance

Normal business activities remained closed in Jammu on Wednesday as the traders are protesting against the Centre’s move to open 100 Reliance-owned stores in the region, a claim which the company termed as false.

Reports said most markets, business establishments and malls remained closed in Jammu in response to the strike call by the Jammu Chamber of Commerce and Industries (JCCI), affecting normal life.

The bandh call was supported by Jammu High Court Bar Association and regional political parties, including the National Conference, the Peoples Democratic Party, the Panthers Party and the Apni Party besides the Congress. However, the BJP did not make any statement over the issue.

The chamber president, Arun Gupta, alleged that the move was “discrimination of the highest degree” with traders of Jammu by the government. “We appealed to everyone to observe peaceful bandh against issues related to chamber and commerce. We are thankful that bandh gets an overwhelming response all over the province, even from the areas where we least expected,” he said.

Gupta said that 228 wine traders have been rendered jobless after the government introduced e-auction of liquor shops in the Union Territory.

Wearing black badges, the business community assembled at various markets and the Chamber House raising slogans like ‘Jammu Ekta Zindabad.’ The protesters said that they are facing a wide range of issues that had been confronted by them after the abrogation of the state’s special status on August 5, 2019, but the latest trigger is reports of Reliance retail setting up 100 stores in Jammu.

However, the Reliance on Tuesday said the talk of 100 stores being opened by them (in Jammu) is completely untrue. “We have not opened any stores in Jammu. We have a few delivery points in the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir and these are set up by our delivery partners to support the small traders,” a spokesperson of the company said in a statement.

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