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Time and again Ahmedabad traders ditch CAIT rallies

Successive programs turn out duds, with hardly any participation of retail traders

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Unlike Ahmedabad traders in other cities turn up in large numbers
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The Confederation of All India Traders (CAIT) had planned a demonstration to boycott and conduct a bonfire of Chinese goods at the Ratanpole area of old city. However, at the time the protest was supposed to be held, very few traders turned up. Those that did, cancelled the bonfire and instead, chanted slogans and displayed placards, saying that city police did not give them permission.

On October 2 last year, a 'rath yatra' to protest against relaxation in Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) in the retail sector in the country, was supposed to pass through the city. That demonstration also turned out to be a no-show as hardly any traders from the city came out to show their solidarity with the cause.

"This is not a fiasco. What can I do if traders do not turn up? Also, the police refused to give us permission to conduct a bonfire in the city," said Mahendra Shah, national chairman of CAIT. He was supposed to lead a group of traders to protest against import of Chinese goods as China has, once again, blocked India's proposal in the United Nations (UN) to hand over Jaish-e-Mohammad chief Masood Azhar to the UN for masterminding terrorist activities in India.

Shah said that while programmes in other states went ahead as per schedule, the one in Ahmedabad did not. "We got good responses from other states. Even in Gujarat, there are protests in Surat, Vadodara and Jamnagar. Things did not shape up in Ahmedabad," he said.

Sources in the trading community blame a lack of network and limitations of the leadership of CAIT in Gujarat. "I was sent a message, but saw it only today. I was not aware of what the programme was regarding," said a leading trader in the old market of the city. Another trader said that CAIT is relying on organizations such as Amdavad Vepari Mahajan, whose leader, Harshad Giletwala, does not come from the trading community. Giletwala candidly admits that he is a member of the Vishwa Hindu Parishad but has been told to lead the trading community.

"Here, we are telling traders to burn their goods. Most traders buy Chinese goods. So obviously they will not participate and incur losses," said an office bearer of CAIT in the state. Another trader said that one should oppose import of Chinese goods and not when the goods are bought by our traders. "Now these goods are no longer Chinese. They belong to our traders. They earn from them. Why should one insist that they should burn them?" said another trader. A leader in the textile trade said that earlier, CAIT's leadership made flip-flops on the issue of FDI in retail sector. "CAIT had opposed FDI in retail, but when FDI norms were relaxed, CAIT's leadership was found to be wanting. Somehow, when it comes to opposing policies of BJP-led governments, CAIT's stand softens at the last moment," said the trader.

Another trader said that CAIT did not represent the case of traders during demonetization, which was a major disappointment. "The way we wanted CAIT to raise the voice of traders, it did not. In fact, it tried to divert attention by focusing on digital payments. Now, traders are giving it a cold shoulder," said the trader.

OTHER CITIES FARE WELL 

Protests in other cities of Gujarat like Surat, Vadodara and Jamnagar did see good strength. Things did not shape up in Ahmedabad. 

Sources in the trading community blame a lack of network and limitations of the leadership of CAIT in Gujarat. 

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