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East India associations to form IT body

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CIOL Bureau
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KOLKATA, INDIA: In a move to head towards solidarity and unity within the channel space, all IT associations in the East have decided to unite under a single confederacy, under the presumed leadership of Compass.

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The move came shortly after Microsoft began its anti-piracy raids in Bihar. Unable to come to terms with Microsoft's bold step, Bihar IT Association (BITA) decided to impose a ban on the software major in the region, with the support of Kolkata dealers.

“For quite sometime, Microsoft has been indulging in unethical trade practices. They are forcing the channel to buy their products, threatening them with dire consequences. As a result, we have decided to ban trade relationships with Microsoft,” said PK Sinha, Spokesperson, BITA.

With BITA facing the brunt of Microsoft raids, Compass held a meeting in Kolkata yesterday to decide on the formation of the confederacy and discuss its trade relations with Microsoft.

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“The dealers in Kolkata have decided to return the unpaid Microsoft stocks to the company. In order to extend our support to dealers in Bihar and protest against unethical trade practices of Microsoft, we have decided to form this unified confederacy,” said Alok Garodia, President, Compass.

However, Compass officials claim that the Microsoft raids were not the sole reason for the associations uniting. “The raids have definitely aggravated the matter and underlined the urgency for solidarity, but that apart, for a long time dealers across the East have been rooting for a unified IT body,” Garodia stated.

Representatives of IT associations from across the East will be meeting on Dec 5 to take this matter forward and to deliberate on the norms of forming the confederacy.

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