Strike in India over big retail reforms
There is a huge strike going on this morning in India, as people protest against the government’s decision to allow mega retailers like Walmart and Tesco into the country.
Everything from schools to train systems are shut down in many cities across the country.
Despite the protests though, not everyone is angry about these retailers setting up shop in India. “In a country of more than 1.2 billion people,” says the BBC’s Rahul Tandon in Calcutta, “there are lots of different viewpoints.”
Some people worry that it will hurt small businesses and leave people jobless. On the flip side, some Indians see the arrival of such stores as a sign that the wealth of India is increasing, and will mean good things for its citizens.
The unrest could have a major impact on government there, says Tandon. But one has to remember that it isn’t as if major brands — from Pizza Hut to Subway — haven’t already arrived in India.
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