BENGALURU: Following a call given by the Karnataka State Retailers’ Welfare Association, over 3,000 retail business owners and small-time traders protested at Freedom Park against the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike’s (BBMP) rule for a separate licence for the sale of tobacco products by retailers.
Association president BN Murali Krishna said the new rule lacks logic. It will impact the lives of two lakh retailers. “The Palike says that annually Rs 500 had to be paid to get such a licence and BBMP will shortly issue the application online. The move will result in the greasing of palms of officials for the licence. Secondly, the shopkeepers who cannot ensure a separate place for smokers due to space constraints will be subjected to more harassment from the police,” said Krishna.
He added that over 2,00,000 small shopkeepers under the aegis of the Karnataka State Retail Beedi-Cigarette Merchants Association, which represents the Karnataka Chapter of the Federation of Retailer Association of India (FRAI), have been protesting across the state against various municipal bodies bid to introduce ‘Licence Raj’.
“Members of our association are already being harassed by the authorities daily. The authorities are taking advantage of the illiteracy and lack of awareness of the traders. Now as per the proposed Act, tobacco retailers have to get their licence renewed every year,” he stressed.
Later, members of the association approached the BBMP special commissioner’s office.