By IANS
Kozhikode (Kerala) : Trouble erupted at the retail giant Spencer’s outlet here after local retailers, under the banner of Kerala Vyapari Vywasayi Ekopana Samithi, protested proliferation of retail giants in Kerala.
Immediately after samithi president T. Nasirudeen finished his address, angry activists tried to barge into the Spencer’s shop. Police resorted to a lathicharge.
In the melee, close to a dozen activists were injured. Police took into custody Nasirudeen and 50 others. Shopkeepers downed their shutters in protest.
Earlier on June 28, all markets and commercial establishments across Kerala remained closed to protest the entry of retail giants. The shutdown was called by a joint action committee of traders, merchants and workers having support of both the ruling Left Democratic Front (LDF) and opposition United Democratic Front (UDF).
The V.S. Achuthanandan government wants to ensure that retail giants are kept out of the state. But recently one of the Left legislators, Dinesh Moni, inaugurated an outlet of a retail giant in Kochi.
C.K. Mani Shankar, deputy mayor of Kochi Corporation, opened another outlet. Both belong to the Communist Party of India-Marxist.
A few retail giants have already set shop in Kerala. The last major player to enter the market here was the Mumbai-based Big Bazaar. Reliance will set up an outlet in the Kerala capital later this year.