Team Anna-TN traders join hands to launch helpline to fight graft

Chennai:

In what could be a major boost to Anna Hazare’s anti-corruption movement, traders from the state joined hands with India Against Corruption to weed out corruption and to open a helpline to register complaints.

Addressing a press conference on the occasion of Traders Day, Tamil Nadu Vanigar Sanigangalin Peravai lead by T Vallayan along with Team Anna members Kiran Bedi and Prashant Bhushan along with Central core committee member of IAC, M S Chandramohan said the helpline would help create a databank which would be sent to the home ministry.

Bedi said plans are on to have a toll free number which will take down the complainst of traders who are victims of corruption. “Once the complaint is received, a databank will be created and it will be handed over to the home ministry. Then IAC activists and traders will try to keep tabs on the complaint by filing RTIs,” Bedi said.

She also said the tie-up with the traders confederation will boost the anti-corruption movement in the city.

Vellaiyan and Bhushan hit out at Union government’s decision to have Foreign Direct Investment in retail. Hailing Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa on her decision to oppose FDI in retail, he said the Union government’s move will be detrimental for the traders. He also opposed the Goods and Service Tax.