Prayagraj, Mutthi Ganj (Uttar Pradesh):
The anger of small traders and kirana store owners in Prayagraj spilled into the open this week as the Vyapari Ekta Samiti, Uttar Pradesh, convened a special meeting under the chairmanship of State President Vijay Gupta. The meeting, held at the residence of Manish Gupta in Mutthi Ganj, strongly welcomed the Central Government’s recent ban on online gaming, but declared that the greater threat comes from the unchecked growth of online businesses.
With passion and urgency, traders demanded that the government impose higher taxes on e-commerce platforms, keep a close watch on tax evasion, and safeguard the livelihoods of traditional shopkeepers and kirana stores.
“Online shopping is devouring us like a monster.r”
Addressing the gathering, Vijay Gupta said: Large-scale tax evasion in online trading cannot be ruled out. The government must take corrective steps, or else traditional shopkeepers and kirana stores will be wiped out.”
State General Secretary Pramil Keservani echoed this fear, warning that online shopping has become a “business monster”. “The convenience of mobile apps is destroying the local economy. Kirana stores — the heartbeat of Indian mohallas — are losing customers at an alarming rate,” he said.
From Prayagraj to Delhi: Traders speak in one voice
The Prayagraj protest is not an isolated cry. Across India, the Confederation of All India Traders (CAIT) — representing over 8 crore traders — has repeatedly raised alarm bells over the “predatory practices” of e-commerce giants.
- In Delhi, CAIT has staged multiple protests demanding stricter regulation of Amazon, Flipkart, and other online platforms.
- In Maharashtra, kirana stores have joined hands with wholesalers to resist online discounts that undercut small shops.
- In Karnataka and Gujarat, trader bodies have urged the government to investigate the tax compliance of e-commerce companies.
By aligning themselves with CAIT’s nationwide campaign, Prayagraj’s traders are adding their voice to what is becoming a national movement for fair taxation and the survival of small businesses.
Symbolic protest on Dussehra
To drive home their message, Prayagraj traders announced that they will burn an effigy of online business on Vijaya Dashami (Dussehra) — a symbolic act equating e-commerce dominance with the evil of Ravana.
Additionally, a series of street-corner meetings (nukkad sabhas) and awareness campaigns will be organized across Prayagraj to rally citizens in support of their neighborhood kirana stores and traditional markets.
Traders’ warning to the government
Speakers at the meeting warned that government silence would only embolden online platforms that exploit loopholes and indulge in unfair trade practices. They demanded:
- Higher taxes on e-commerce operators to level the playing field.
- Strict monitoring of tax compliance to prevent evasion.
- Protective policies to safeguard kirana stores and small retailers.
- Recognition that online convenience should not come at the cost of millions of livelihoods.
“The reality of tax evasion by online operators will one day come to the fore. The government must act now before it’s too late,” one trader said.
Strong trader turnout
The Prayagraj meeting saw the participation of several prominent members of the trading community, including Pramil Keservani, Manish Gupta, Brijesh Nishad, Atul Khanna, Pramod Gupta, Ajay Gupta, Vipin Gupta, Imran Ali, Bablu, Jeetu Sonkar, Vikas Agrahari, Pappu Gupta, and Sunil Agrahari.
Together, they pledged solidarity with CAIT’s nationwide agitation, vowing that the battle against unfair online business practices will continue until justice is done for India’s shopkeepers and kirana stores.
#TradersUnity #VyapariEktaSamiti #CAIT #SaveKiranaStores #StopTaxEvasion #OfflineBusiness #TraderProtest #DussehraProtest #AwarenessCampaign #SupportLocalShops #FairTaxation
Would you like me to also bring in examples of government responses in the past (like DPIIT’s e-commerce policy drafts, or states that tried to regulate discounts) to show how official apathy has added to traders’ frustration?