The Centre must bring an "all-encompassing" policy to protect the interests of the consumers as well as offline traders and small traders, he said, underlining that the proposed consumer protection e-commerce rules are "inadequate" to address the issue. The Swadeshi Jagaran Manch (SJM) is an affiliate of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS).
The draft e-commerce rules released last year held e-commerce marketplace responsible if a seller on its platform failed to deliver the goods or services ordered by a consumer "due to negligent conduct, omission or commission of any act by such seller", causing loss to the consumer.
Union Minister of Commerce and Textiles Piyush Goyal has stirred up a hornet's nest by taking on India Inc, specifically the Tata group, which is among the companies that lobbied against the Modi government's pro-consumer draft e-commerce policies. While Goyal's comments, made at a Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) event, were streamed live on YouTube, the industry lobbying body later edited the video and subsequently withdrew the entire speech. Goyal had said the Tata group and other Indian companies often lobbied for their interest, while ignoring national interest.