Could The CCI's Determination To Take Down E- Commerce Marketplaces Really Be Counter-Productive?

Rarely does a day go by, without the Confederation of All India Traders (CAIT) or the All India Online Vendors Association (AIOVA), both powerful trader lobbies, accusing foreign owned e-commerce entities (such as Amazon and Flipkart) of having used underhanded means to circumvent the intent of India's Competition Act and Foreign Direct Investment policy. The accusations themselves come with such frequency, that it is surprising that they continue to be taken seriously by news agencies, as well as the Indian Government. This speaks to the serious political muscle that these associations enjoy as a large vote bank, which must be kept happy.

Is it at all possible that in this instance, the focus on these e-commerce giants is doing the opposite of encouraging free and fair competition? Does the CCI's continued concentration on these e-commerce giants have the propensity to force these already squeezed businesses to shut shop? Where will this leave the Indian consumer