The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) candidate from the Chandni Chowk Lok Sabha seat, Praveen Khandelwal, on Friday promised to end the ‘inspector raj’ within one year for thousands of micro, small, medium, and large retailers and traders in his constituency if he is elected to the lower house of Parliament in the upcoming polls on May 25.
Addressing a public gathering of micro, small, and medium retailers organised by the Federation of Retailer Association of India (FRAI), a representative body of about 8 million retailers, Khandelwal said that ensuring the ‘dignity’ of traders in his constituency would be his utmost priority.
“I have been a trader all my life. I know their hardships and the problems they face. For decades, I have worked to ensure that their voice is heard. I promise every small, medium, and large retailer or trader in my constituency that I will completely end the inspector raj within one year of my election,” he told the gathering.
At the event, the FRAI also expressed its support for the parliamentary candidate from the ruling BJP and highlighted a long-standing issue of inadequate representation of the challenges and aspirations of micro, small, and medium retailers in the Indian Parliament.
Abhay Raj Mishra, national spokesperson for the FRAI, said that there are many issues at hand, including the urgent need for a level playing field for small retailers against the dominance of big e-commerce players, the facilitation of ease of business, and equitable access to credit, among others.
"I urge all fellow retailers to stand in support of Praveen Khandelwal, who has been tirelessly advocating our interests over the years. There is no doubt that our community will not only thrive but also significantly contribute to the nation's growth trajectory," he added.