Swadeshi Jagran Manch demands government ban Amazon and Walmart's Flipkart in India

By

Isabelle Crossley

Published
Dec 29, 2021

Economic and cultural organisation Swadeshi Jagran Manch recently passed a resolution at its national conclave to demand that the government ban operations of Amazon and Walmart-owned Flipkart in India.

The RSS-affiliated SJM stated that Amazon and Walmart/ Flipkart are violating trade regulations in India thus must have their permissions to operate removed immediately, the Press Trust of India reported. The SJM also called for a Central Bureau of Investigation probe into the US-based businesses as well as other foreign-owned businesses for allegedly violating foreign direct investment regulations.
 
“Foreign direct investment in multi-brand retail trade is regulated through the FDI policy,” said the SJM in its resolution passed at its 15th national conclave in Gwalior on December 26, the Press Trust of India reported. “Foreign players cannot have an inventory-based model to operate [in India]. They are also barred from influencing prices by cash-burning models. Multinational e-commerce companies such as Amazon and Walmart-Flipkart are blatantly contravening rules and operating uncontrolled in India.”

The SJM’s calls for banning the businesses echo the sentiments of the Confederation of All India Traders which has organised strikes across the country calling on the government to investigate and band Amazon and Walmart/Flipkart. The SJM and CAIT have both opined that Walmart/Flipkart and Amazon’s business practices in India are harming local traders and questioned how the big businesses have managed to secure permissions to operate in the country. 
 
“From 2017-18 to 2019-20, in three years, Amazon has spent Rs 9,788 crore on legal and professional fees in India,” alleged the SJM. “Internal sources have exposed that the money is being routed through these accounts for bribing officials in India.”