New Delhi, Jan 30 (IANS): Future Groups Kishore Biyani has alleged that Amazon is playing the dog in the manger, going all out to create a ruckus through a concerted and coordinated media campaign, primarily fuelled by leaking of selective and misleading information to misguide media.
"Their only objective is to create confusion about the deal with Reliance, hoping to disrupt us, and create greater confusion and uncertainty around the future for our ecosystem. For reasons we never believed earlier but quite evident today, this battle is about ownership of the Indian customer at any cost," Biyani said in a letter to the Future Group family.
"Now, Amazon is playing the dog in the manger, going all out to create a ruckus through a concerted and coordinated media campaign, primarily fuelled by leaking of selective and misleading information to misguide media", Biyani said.
Biyani said the deal between Future Coupons Private Ltd and Amazon was to build a coupons and gifting business, create an e-commerce distribution for Future brands and whenever FDI in retail is permitted, they could participate. FDI is not permitted in multi-brand retail, and as is the global policy trend, the Government would like home-grown retailers to scale up, he added.
"Given the financial crisis in the retail sector on account of pandemic, we were left with no other option but to enter in a constructive deal with Reliance Group, a strong Indian conglomerate, to help us tide over the crisis created by the pandemic — a strong good holistic solution for livelihoods of all employees, vendor network, lenders, creditors and the entire ecosystem that we impact directly or indirectly. This deal with Reliance meets our objective of providing stability and security for our people, vendors, landlords and lenders," Biyani said.
"I chose this option despite the fact that this means there is no gain for the promoters, in fact we are losing business that was painstakingly created with you all over the last three decades," Biyani added.
"Amazon's relentless attack is on Future Retail, the Board of Directors, lenders, promoters, and is unsparing of even on my father, uncle and children. The stated and evident policy of vexatious litigation and harassment makes one wonder about the similarity in ruthless ambition to scorch the earth akin to the Greek Alexander - after all, they are inspired to name their product as Alexa," Biyani said.
"History tells us that Alexander conquered large parts of the world but failed in India. With you on our side and our relentless service to the Indian consumers, we will serve the best interests of our country and will continue to protect our fundamental right to survive, and to serve the Indian consumer," he said.
"However, in the seventy first year of the Republic, there is a new form of attack and this time we are the target. This is a corporate battle and is being fought for supremacy over Indian customers. Immense resources are being deployed on influencing Indian society's mindset and belief systems," Biyani said in the letter.