According to insiders, many textile traders have not registered for the new tax system and do not have a GST number.
A day after protesting textile traders in Surat were lathicharged by police, textile traders in various parts of the state downed their shutters on Tuesday to oppose the incident as well as the 5% GST levied on textiles.
Gaurang Bhagat of Maskati Market in Ahmedabad said that the whole market remained shut in protest of the GST (Goods and Services Tax) levy. “Thousands of shops in the market remained shut. Textile traders in New Cloth Market, Panchkuva Mahajan, Sarangpur and other markets also observed a total bandh. We are not in favour of small traders being brought under GST, and as per the decision taken by All India Textile GST Sangharsh Samiti, we will keep our shops and establishments closed till July 7,” Bhagat said.
According to insiders, many textile traders have not registered for the new tax system and do not have a GST number.
Bhagat said that they have held talks with government officials, explaining to them the practical difficulties of bringing small traders under GST, and are hopeful that the government will reconsider.
Ritesh Shah, a textile shop owner in Maskati Market, said that police action on protesters in Surat is unacceptable and accused the government of trying to use force to suppress their protests. Traders said that business to the tune of crores has been hit.
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Surat markets remain shut too
Continuing the strike against GST on textiles, textile markets in Surat, the hub of synthetic textile production in the country, remained shut on Tuesday.
Manoj Agarwal, president of Federation of Surat Textile Traders Associations (FOSTTA) said that 65,000 textile traders are continuing the strike. Anger is also brewing among traders over Monday’s lathicharge.
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