Nagpur: The ‘No UPI Day’ protest in the city received a mixed response, with several traders refusing digital payments from customers while others continued to accept UPI transactions.The protest, called by the Nagpur Chamber of Commerce, saw some traders covering their UPI QR scanners with black cloth as a symbolic demonstration against the proposed Merchant Discount Rate (MDR) on person-to-merchant transactions above Rs2,000.The move caused inconvenience to citizens who were not carrying cash. Customers at shops where UPI payments were suspended were forced to either look for an ATM or arrange cash before making purchases.Vishwas Kulkarni, who visited a grocery store in Narendra Nagar, said he was unaware of the protest. “I wanted to buy some daily-use items, but the shopkeeper told me that he would only accept cash. He had also covered the UPI QR code. I have stopped carrying cash since the time UPI started. My ATM card has lapsed due to non-use over the years. It was very frustrating,” he said.Some traders continued accepting UPI payments, resulting in a different experience for customers depending on the establishment they visited.Nagpur Chamber of Commerce termed the protest a success, saying traders were not against UPI or digital payments but opposed the proposed additional transaction cost. Its president Pradeep Jajoo said the proposed 0.4% MDR on select UPI transactions above Rs2,000 would increase the cost of doing business.“Even if the charge is not directly recovered from consumers, the additional cost can ultimately have an impact on prices,” Jajoo said, urging the govt to reconsider and withdraw the proposal.Former Chamber president CA Kailash Jogani said traders recognised the importance of UPI in everyday transactions. “Our objection is to adding another cost to a system that has made digital payments simple and accessible,” he said.The Chamber reiterated that the ‘No UPI Day’ campaign was aimed at highlighting traders’ concerns over additional transaction costs and was not intended to oppose digital payments. It appealed to the govt to resolve the issue through dialogue with the trading community.For consumers, however, the protest highlighted how dependent many people have become on cashless payments, with some discovering only at the point of purchase that their preferred mode of payment was temporarily unavailable.
