Ranchi, May 17 (IANS) Protests against Reliance Fresh outlets is gaining momentum in Jharkhand as vegetable vendors Thursday took out protest rallies in the state, accusing the firm of undercutting and pushing them out of the market.
The protesters were shouting slogans against the Mukesh Ambani-controlled Reliance Industries and demanding closure of the stores in the state.
“If the Reliance will not wind up its shops then we will be left with no other option but to go for violent protests what happened in Ranchi,” said Vinod Baitha, a member of Vegetable Seller Associations (VSA) of Dhanbad district.
Echoing his sentiment Kunti Mahto, another vegetable vendor, said: “The state government is helping Reliance and acting against the poor who earn daily livelihood by selling vegetables. If Reliance is not stopped to sell vegetables then we will starve to death.”
Vegetable vendors also staged sit-in in front of the deputy commissioner’s office in capital Ranchi and demanded closure of the Reliance Fresh outlets and release of the six arrested vegetable vendors.
On Saturday, vegetable vendors had attacked three Reliance Fresh outlets in Ranchi and damaged property worth Rs.5 million. Police baton-charged the protesters in which about two dozen vendors were injured.
Police arrested 17 people in Saturday’s attack and two cops were suspended for dereliction of duty. The Special task Force of Jharkhand Armed Police have been deployed at Reliance Fresh stores.