Mail News Service
Jamshedpur, April 15: Reacting to a media report that the several prominent e-commerce companies are trying to pressurize various State Governments where curfew or lockdown has been clamped and also making efforts to pursue the Central Government to allow delivery of non-essential items through e-commerce portals, the Confederation of All India Traders (CAIT) has termed this act as a part of their sinister designs to take advantage of Corona pandemic which is a shameful act and shows that they are least bothered for any pandemic or casualties and are more interested in spreading wings of their business on the coffin of the people. The CAIT has written a communication to Union Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal Uddhav Thackrey, CM of Maharashtra, Yogi Adityanath, CM of UP, Shivraj Singh Chauhan, Madhya Pradesh CM, Ashok Gahlot, Rajasthan CM Hemant Soren Jharkhand CM and other Chief Ministers of all States.
CAIT National Secretary Suresh Sonthalia have said that it is shocking that few of the prominent players in e-commerce are trying to dislodge the physical traders from the market by asking permission for selling non essentials through e-commerce in different states and themselves and through their lobby groups have activated to represent them with the Government. We take a strong note of it and want to make it very clear to the Government that if e commerce companies are allowed to sell non essentials than it will create an uneven level playing field for the traders whose shops will remain shut for compliance of the curfew orders whereas these companies will be allowed to sell goods through e commerce. It will be a grave injustice to the traders of India and will de-motivate the traders.
Sonthalia strongly said that if they are allowed to sell non-essential goods then keeping parity, the traders in physical markets should also be allowed to operate their business activities pertaining to non-essential goods. There cannot be any difference between physical stores or e-commerce companies for this matter and will minimize the contribution of traders who are the son of India.
Sonthalia also mentioned that at a time when all other shops except essential items are under lockdown or curfew, then as to how the e commerce portals will be able to deliver the non essential goods since they are pure market place and are not allowed to own any inventory and the traders registered with them as sellers won’t be in a position to deliver the goods due to remain under lockdown.
If still, the e commerce portals are delivering the goods that effectively means that they are not the market place and holding inventory much against the FDI policy of the Government.
CAIT said that entire nation knows about the effort and the commitment shown by the small retailers of India in serving the nation in such unfriendly circumstances risking their lives and putting the benefit of the society before self by ensuring smooth running of supply chain of essential goods across Country despite facing several roadblocks and hurdles.
When the Covid-19 lockdown was announced, India’s small retailers like true Corona Warriors, fearlessly stepped out of their houses to fulfill the requirements of essentials throughout the country whereas the large E commerce giants decided to shut shop and quietly disappeared. It will be highly unfair if the E commerce players are allowed to deliver all kinds of goods whereas Brick and Mortar retailers are allowed to deal only in essential commodities. This will create further imbalance in the level playing field and give rise to unnecessary conflicts. Therefore, the e-commerce companies should not be allowed to sale non-essential goods through e-commerce under the present conditions of curfew and lockdown.
