The Mukesh Ambani-owned Reliance Fresh, which exited West Bengal last year following severe political protests, has re-started business there under police security. The company has opened five stores in the city at New Town (1), Budge Budge (1), and Swabhumi (3).
Forward Bloc, a Left Front partner, has been resisting the opening of food marts, forcing Reliance Fresh to fold up business in the state last year. The party says retail stores owned by big corporate houses will hamper the livelihood of vegetable sellers.
“Not only Reliance, all these retail food outlets are illegal, and we are conveying the message to the state government,” said Naren Chatterjee, chairman of the Forward Bloc-controlled State Agricultural Marketing Board.
