New Delhi, Dec 26 (KNN) More than 30 organizations in Kerala have come together to form an ‘anti-hartal’ alliance to protect business community from monetary and other losses due to hartals, which are often announced by various socio-political groups for reasons they have nothing to do with.

Various organizations including those representing merchants, industrialists, hoteliers and bus and lorry owners have extended their support for this and announced that they would no longer cooperate with hartals, or day-long shutdowns, announced by various socio-political groups in the state.

According to media reports, the president of the Kerala Vyapari Vyavasayi Ekopana Samithi (KVVES), T. Naseeruddin, which coordinated the formation of the ‘anti-hartal’ alliance said that the alliance is considered by many to be significant.

He said that business community in the state was “already suffering losses for several reasons, like GST, floods and Nipah fever”, and repeated hartals were only “adding to their woes”.

The new joint initiative is a move to address the various concerns collectively that arises due to hartal.

KVVES is the largest trade and business organization in the state, alone represents more than 10 lakh small, medium and large scale traders in the state.