TJAC opposed Walmart stores in Telangana

​Hanamkonda: TJAC Chairman M Kodandaram has opposed the State government’s support to global retail giant, Walmart, to set its shops in Telangana.

He said the JAC would soon launch massive agitations across the state against Walmart retail chain.In this regard, Kodandaram, senior Congress leader V H Hanumantha Rao and CPI state secretary Ch Venkat Reddy took part in ‘Vanta Varpu’ staged by Traders JAC in Hanamkonda on Friday .

Speaking to presspersons on the occasion, the leaders said promoting Walmart in the state could affect the livelihoods of small traders. They found fault with the state government signing a Memorandum of Understanding with the US retailer, allowing it to open 10 stores in Telangana with focus on Tier-II cities like Warangal, Karimnagar and Nizamabad.

It was wrong to allow the retail giant to set up stores while the unemployment rate in the state was going up due to lack of opportunities and vacancies in government sector. Agitations would be taken up by involving all concerned sections and opposition parties, Kodandaram said.

Venkat Reddy complained that the traders were already panicked at the Centre’s decision to implement Goods and Services Tax from July 1. Now the state government’s decision would add to the anguish of the small and medium scale traders, who would be at loss due to TRS government’s decision.

Hanumantha Rao said Congress party would extend its support to the agitating traders. He said due to the implementation of GST, nearly six lakh beedi workers would lose their income and farmers would have to bear additional financial burden as pesticides, fertilisers and others would become expensive.

District Congress president N Rajender Reddy, party leader B Prabhakar Reddy, CPI leader S Karunakar, BC JAC leader Tirunahari Sheshu and Traders JAC leaders were present.