Textile traders to go on strike against GST on Tuesday
Textile traders, who will begin a three-day strike on Tuesday in protest against the goods and services tax (GST) Council's decision to levy 5% tax on the sector
Ahmedabad: Textile traders, who will begin a three-day strike on Tuesday in protest against the goods and services tax (GST) Council’s decision to levy 5% tax on the sector, have threatened an indefinite strike if their demands are not met at the Council meeting this week.
Traders in Surat, the country’s hub for man-made fabric, had shut their establishments on Saturday in protest.
“Traders of Surat have re-opened their establishments but will close it for three days tomorrow (Tuesday) onwards. Our bandh call has been supported by traders from across the country," said Tarachand Kasat, president of All India Textile Traders’ Association. “If the government does not find an amicable solution to our problems in the next GST Council meet, we may call an indefinite strike 1 July onwards."
More than 60,000 shops and power-loom weavers in Surat will follow the strike call given by Vyapari Sangharsh Samiti and Federation of Surat Textile Traders Association.
“We have no idea about how to file returns using the GST software. Without the preparedness, how can they implement GST? About 5,000 traders in Surat are already staring at a closure of their businesses. Even in Japan and Germany, the government gave 12 to 18 months’ time implementing GST for the textile sector. We also need at least a year," Kasat said.
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