Bangalore: Traders at the Agricultural Produce Marketing Committee (APMC) yards downed their shutters for the second day on October 21 in protest against opening of the "wholesale" operations by German trading and retail major Metro Group in India.

Over 2,000 establishments at the Yeshwantpur APMC yard, the biggest wholesale yard in Karnataka, halted business demanding that the government ensure that the multinational adhered to the laws under the APMC Act.

"We have told government officials that Metro should comply with APMC laws," Bangalore Traders Action Committee representative Naresh Gupta Lahoti said.

Police resorted to a mild lathi charge to disperse over 2,000 protestors who expressed fears that the Euro 51.5 billion multinational firm, which began operations on October 20, would use the store as a backdoor entry into the prohibited retail trade.

Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MLA Suresh Kumar, in whose constituency the yard is located, said he was participating in the dharna to express solidarity with the traders, but clarified that the party has not taken any stand on this issue.

Metro Group chief executive officer Dr Hans Joachim Koerber allayed fears of the firm entering the retail trade and said it was exclusively targeting business customers like small and medium retailers, restaurants and other businesses.

The company said it was abiding by local laws and expecting an amendment in the APMC Act for it to allow trade in fruits and vegetables.

PTI