CAIT three days National Trade Conference at Nagpur from tomorrow

The Confederation of All India Traders (CAIT) is all set to launch an aggressive nationwide movement against unhealthy and oppressive business practices of foreign E-Commerce giants who are trying to invade the Country’s retail trade of more than 80 lakh crores of rupees annually, as more than 200 leading trade leaders from all States will be participating in a three days National Trade Conference at Nagpur organized by the CAIT from 8th February to 10th February.

The trade leaders will also decide the future course of strategy to get simplification of GST which has become a complicated & complex tax system much against the basic fundamentals announced at the time of GST implementation. The trade leaders at the Conference may also decide some major steps like Bharat Bandh to raise their concerns on GST. 

CAIT National Presiden B. C. Bhartia & Secretary General Praveen Khandelwal said that traders of the Country are not against any foreign or domestic e-commerce companies but certainly oppose their mal-practices of predatory pricing, deep discounting, loss funding, an exclusive sale of brands on their portals, controlling inventory which is not allowed in the marketplace and concealing information about seller & country of origin of the products.

“ We are not going to tolerate this none sense anymore and we warn such e-commerce companies to either follow the law or be prepared to pack their bags for their native Country. 8.5 crore traders across the Country are well prepared to take such e-commerce giants head-on and we will declare the roadmap of our national movement on 9th February 2021 after having an elaborate discussion with trade leaders participating in the Conference. 

However, we praise the leadership of Prine Minister Shri Narendra Modi & the fabulous work of Union Commerce Minister Shri Piyush Goyal for assuring the CAIT that a fresh Press Note of FDI policy will be released soon which will plug all escape routes which these e-commerce companies have created. The fresh Press Note will provide an even level playing field for all stakeholders which will bring a radical change in the Indian e-commerce landscape. We are looking for an early release of the said Press Note- said the trade leaders. 

Bhartia & Khandelwal also said that GST is the best taxation system as a large number of taxes subsumed in GST but in the current scenario, the GST has become a highly complicated tax system putting a higher compliance burden on traders which was never the intention of the GST. The GST portal even after four years could not become stable and it has become a fashion to put everything on the head of traders.

The traders across the Country are deeply resented and agitated. The trade leaders at the Conference will have a serious debate on GST and will chalk out a strategy as to how the bell rings at the ears of the Government for simplification of GST and maybe the trade leaders taking the gravity of the situation in view could also go for organizing a Bharat Trade Bandh also beside taking other steps.