Traders' body holds nation-wide protests; demands ban on Amazon, Flipkart

New Delhi: Trade associations observed "National Protest Day" on Wednesday and held protest dharnas against "unethical trade practices" of leading e-commerce firms like Amazon and Flipkart in over 700 cities across the country, CAIT said.

The traders' body, which has been alleging that these e-commerce firms were adopting unethical trade practices and are openly violating the government's FDI policy, claimed the protests were attended by lakhs of traders.

"The demonstrating traders said India's e-commerce market has been made highly toxic by Amazon and Flipkart with their unethical trade practices and open violation of the government's FDI policy," the Confederation of All India Traders (CAIT) said.

According to the traders' body, the protestors demanded that the government impose an immediate ban on e-commerce portals of both Amazon and Flipkart.

B C Bhartia, National President of CAIT said traders have no objection to Amazon and Flipkart conducting business in India, but like merchants, these e-commerce firms should also follow every provision of foreign direct investment (FDI) policy of the government and other tax laws.

The traders' body demanded that Amazon and Flipkart be asked to shut their portals till the time these firms make their portals fully compliant with FDI policy and other laws.

It has also sought a probe into the business model, accounts and inflow of foreign investment and its disbursal by both the companies.