Reliance Fresh Orissa debut hits a hurdle

The much-awaited opening of Reliance Fresh store in Bhubaneswar, the first retail outlet of the company in the state, proved to be a non-starter with local traders staging a violent demonstration against the move.

The company had proposed to open 14 stores in Bhubaneswar and Cuttack. Of these, three stores in Bhubaneswar were supposed to start from today.

The company, concerned over protests against its retail stores in different parts of the country, had sought permission of the local administration to open the outlets.

However, a company spokes person said, "There was no plan for commercial launch today. We had just planned the inaugural puja (rituals)".

But in the morning, local traders rallied under the banner of All Orissa Temporary Shop and Small Traders Association and staged a demonstration in front of the two company outlets, at Gopabandhu Square and Lewis Road, and forced the employees to pull down the shutters.

The traders agitation' at Lewis road turned violent as the demonstrators pelted the outlet with stones, breaking the widow panes.

"There was no incident at the Kalpana Square outlet and the puja was held as scheduled," said the company executive.

Association President BK Mohanty said the agitation against the Reliance Fresh stores would continue as they were likely to endanger the livelihood of more than 500,000 trader families in the state.

Reliance executives, who were taken by surprise by the turn of events, later cancelled a scheduled press briefing at 4 pm.

The Orissa government is keeping a close watch on the situation. "We are examining thoroughly what Reliance is doing," Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik told mediapersons in Bhubaneswar.