RIL calls on regulator amid Jio boycott
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RIL calls on regulator amid Jio boycott

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Indians are boycotting Reliance Jio as protests over the country's agricultural reforms intensify.

The operator reported a "large number" of port out requests from customers in a letter to the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI), dated 10 December.

In the letter, seen by Reuters, it claimed the cancellation requests were filed after Bharti Airtel and Vodafone Idea '"created an impression" that Jio would benefit from the country's controversial agricultural reforms.

The Indian Farm Reforms of 2020 include three bills to deregulate India's agriculture industry and create a free market for the sale of produce. Concerned this could lead to huge losses in income, farmers have been demonstrating against the reforms in recent weeks with Al Jazeera reporting a hunger strike was held on Monday.

Jio's letter to TRAI read: "We once again bring to your kind attention that as a result of aforementioned false propaganda of competitors to affect customer perception, we have been receiving a large number of port out (cancellation) requests."

The developments could throw RIL's vision for a "digital India" into doubt.

Earlier this year, as it courted global investors to join the strategy, RIL said  Reliance Retail Ventures Limited (RRVL) would provide digital and logistical infrastructure for millions of merchants across India, including Kiranas (small retail stores), SMEs, micro-traders, farmers and others, to trade online.

When it was confirmed in April that Facebook would take a 9.99% minority stake in RIL, chairman and MD Mukesh Ambani said: "In the near future JioMart ... and WhatsApp will empower nearly 30 million small Indian [grocery] shops to digitally transact with every customer in their neighbourhood.”

At the time, Ambani – also Asia's richest man – said RRVL would work closely with “global and domestic companies as a preferred partner, to deliver immense benefits to Indian society, while protecting and generating employment for millions of Indians”.

 

Denying the claims, both Bharti Airtel and Vodafone Idea told Reuters that Jio's accusations were "baseless". In a statement Bharti Airtel said: “We wish to emphatically deny this baseless charge.”

Meanwhile, Vodafone Idea said it “believes in doing business with ethics and Reliance’s allegations were baseless.”

 

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