Click to play videoNew Delhi: The Mayawati Government in Uttar Pradesh has ordered the closure of all organised retail stores, citing law-and-order issues following Wednesday's attack on Reliance Fresh and Spencer's outlets in Lucknow and Varanasi by groups of small traders.
While the government order came as a rude shock to the retail plans of big corporates, the government clarified that it was not a policy decision and that these stores have to be shut down until the law-and-order situation improves.
Chief Minister Mayawati said the local administration took the decision to close down these stores in the state capital and Varanasi, apprehending that there could be a law and order problem.
A group of small traders, led by Samajwadi Party MP Banwarilal Kanchal, had ransacked Reliance Fresh and Spencer's stores in Lucknow on Wednesday. Similar actions were also reported in Varanasi in front of an under-construction Reliance food outlet.
The Mayawati Cabinet has, meanwhile, decided to set up an expert committee to look into the problems in Varanasi and Lucknow.
Mayawati said Cabinet Secretary Shashank Shekhar Singh would head the five-member committee that would look into all aspects governing such stores. The committee would also include principal secretaries of housing, home, agriculture and health as members.
Citing Wednesday's protest by the small traders, the government also decided to cancel the new agricultural policy that was adopted on August 3, 2007.
Mayawati cited intelligence reports for cancellation of the policy. She said her Cabinet does not want to take any such decision which is anti-farmer.
Mayawati said in view of the protests against these retail stores, it was felt that there was a need to review the policy in this regard.
When contacted, a Reliance Retail spokesperson declined to comment. Sanjiv Goenka, Vice Chairman of RPG, which owns Spencer's brand of stores, told PTI that he was not aware of the details.
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