IndiaRetailBiz

The All India Forward Bloc, an important constituent in the ruling Left combine of West Bengal, has warned of “bloodshed” if Reliance enters agri-products retail business in the state, says a PTI report.

“We will not allow the entry with the help of police of Reliance in the agri-retail business in this state. There will be bloodshed if any attempt is made (in this regard by the Left Front government),” senior Forward Bloc leader Naren Chatterjee told a rally of the party’s labour body, Trade Union Co-ordination Centre here.

The threat comes in the wake of ransacking of a Reliance ‘Fresh’ store by party workers on 18th August, 2007. In a related development, Trinamul Congress activists, on 19th August, 2007, also vandalised another Reliance ‘Fresh’ store under construction. Trinamul Congress, led by Mamta Benerjee, is the main opposition party in West Bengal.

“These are expressions of people’s fury. You can’t expect us to continue our political opposition to the entry of corporate players in retail quietly while the government allows Reliance to open shops bypassing us,” said Ashok Ghosh, state party secretary, justifying the attacks. “The Forward Bloc will demolish all future Reliance ‘Fresh’ outlets in the city,” warned Chatterjee.

While, the All India Forward Bloc, which controls the state’s agriculture department, has refused to issue a licence to Reliance saying its retail project would harm the interests of farmers and small traders, the Food Processing & Horticulture Department of the state controlled by the CPI(M), has allowed the company to set up six distribution-cum-processing centres. To circumvent the land ceiling laws, these centres will be known as ‘food processing units.’

Reliance Retail, the retail arm of the Mukesh Ambani led Reliance group, is investing Rs. 25,000 crore to set up a retail infrastructure, comprising all elements of the retail chain from farmer to consumer, in what is called as the ‘farm to fork’ retail initiative of the group.