The Joint Action Committee Against Foreign Retail and E-commerce was formed at a meeting among organisations of traders, farmers and workers, as well as some other organisations in New Delhi on 30th June, 2018. The meeting was called by the following organisations: Delhi Science Forum, Forum against FTAs, IT for Change, Focus on the Global South, India FDI Watch, National Working Group on Patent Laws and WTO, Bhartiya Udyog Vyapar Mandal, Confederation of All India Traders, Centre of Indian Trade Unions, Bhartiya Kisan Union, National Hawker Federation, National Fishworkers Forum, All India Kisan Sabha.
Earlier, a press conference was held on the issue of Walmart’s takeover of India’s largest e-commerce company, Flipkart, at the Indian Women’s Press Corps on 4th June, 2018, where the following speakers addressed the press.
Mohan Gurnani, President of the Chamber of Associations of Maharashtra Industry and Trade (CAMIT)
Prof. Prabhat Patnaik, Renowned economist and emeritus professor at Jawaharlal Nehru University
Prabir Purkayastha, President of the Free Software Movement of India (FSMI)
Parminder Singh, IT for Change
Amitava Guha, Centre of Indian Trade Unions (CITU)
Here are links to some videos of the press conference:
Amitava Guha: Walmart Has a Long History of Being Anti Trade Unions
Prabhat Patnaik: Walmart Deal Would be a Colonial Style Deindustrialisation of the Economy
A public statement was issued against Walmart’s takeover of Flipkart which was supported by more than 100 organisations from across India, and many more individuals.
The statement can be accessed here.
A list of organisational supporters of the statement is here.
A list of individual supporters is here.
The Joint Action Committee Against Foreign Retail and E-commerce will be governed by a working group with members from major trade, workers, farmers and other such organisations. Representatives of the following organisations will be members of the Working Group.
Bhartiya Udyog Vyapar Mandal, Conference of All India Traders, All India Kisan Sabha, Bhartiya Kisan Union, Rashtriya Kisan Mahasangh, All India Trade Union Congress, Centre of Indian Trade Unions, Indian National Trade Union Congress, New Trade Union Initiative, National Hawker Federation, National Fishworkers Forum, Forum Against Free Trade Agreements, Hawkers Joint Action Committee, Confederation of Maharashtra Industry and Trade
This Working Group will be assisted by a Support Group consisting of members from:
Delhi Science Forum, Forum Against FTAs, Focus on Global South, Janpahal and IT for Change.
Dharmendra Kumar and Parminder Jeet Singh are the co-conveners of the Joint Action Committee.
The full membership of the Joint Action Committee is here.