Do not hold people to ransom by closing shops: Raj Thackeray tells traders

Amid ongoing stand-off between traders and state government over proposed imposition of Local Body Tax (LBT), Maharashtra Navnirman Sena chief Raj Thackeray asked traders to not hold common people to ransom and open their shops.

In a press statement issued, Raj said that LBT, to be imposed in Mumbai and some municipal corporations in the state from October 1, either be scrapped or amended.

"Henceforth, traders should not hold people to ransom by closing their shops. They should resolve the issue by negotiating with the government", he said.

Raj said that at some places in the state shopkeepers have opened their shops while at some places they are still closed.

"These (closed shops) should be opened or else we will open those shops", he warned.

Traders associations have been observing indefinite strike since last three weeks demanding rollback of LBT, saying the new levy likely to result in harassment and corruption.

On its part, Maharashtra government has already constituted a 15-member committee to address the issues raised by traders.

Even though a section of retailers yesterday called off the strike, the Federation of Associations of Maharashtra (FAM), a Mumbai-based summit organisation of 750 transport, small-scale and trade associations in Maharashtra, today said that retailers will resume the stir from Wednesday.