India: Retailers demand ban on Amazon and Flipkart in nation-wide protests

W/S Protesters chanting "Amazon Go Back. Flipkart Go Back," New Delhi
M/S Protesters chanting "Amazon Go Back. Flipkart Go Back."
W/S Protesters chanting and holding posters
M/S Protesters chanting
M/S Protesters holding posters
SOT, Praveen Khandelwal, Secretary General of the Confederation of All India Traders: "Because of predatory pricing and deep discounting being carried out by Amazon and Flipkart on their e-commerce portals, the Confederation of All India Traders has launched a national agitation against these two companies. Similar protests are being held today at more than 700 cities across India. We are demanding the government that until the time Amazon and Flipkart comply their portals with all norms of the FDI [Foreign Direct Investment] policy, their portals should immediately be blocked, and investigations should be held into their business model, the investor pattern, the dispersal of investment, and their accounts."
M/S Protesters sit listening to speech
SOT, Ashish Grover, Secretary of Delhi Drugs Traders' Association: "Our vision is very clear. We want to stop both of these, Flipkart and Amazon. We want people to go to general markets we are setting up, wholesale markets, real markets and area markets, go and purchase from there."
M/S Protesters sit listening to speech
SOT, Rahul Chandn, Local trader: "We are basically here against Amazon and Flipkart doing unethical business, using the wrong policies of the government in their favour, and spoiling the business of retailers across India. There have totally, I think 40 thousand shops in [inaudible] have already been shut because of Amazon and Flipkart, and 30 thousand more are about to be shut."
M/S Protesters chanting "Amazon Go Back. Flipkart Go Back."
M/S Protesters holding posters
SCRIPT
Retailers in more than 700 cities across India took part in the "National Protest Day" on Wednesday, a non-violent sit-in demonstration called by trade associations to protest policies by Amazon and Flipkart which they say are unethical.
Vendors gathered at the Sadar Bazaar market in New Delhi held anti-Amazon posters and chanted "Amazon Go Back, Flipkart Go Back" to demand that these portals comply with the Indian government's Foreign Direct Investment policies.
"We are demanding the government that until the time Amazon and Flipkart comply their portals with all norms of the FDI [Foreign Direct Investment] policy, their portals should immediately be blocked, and investigations should be held into their business model, the investor pattern, the dispersal of investment, and their accounts," said Praveen Khandelwal, Secretary General of the Confederation of All India Traders.
Local trader Rahul Chandn complained that thousands of local shops had to close their doors "because of Amazon and Flipkart, and 30 thousand more are about to be shut."