Traders in Gujarat oppose CAIT's letter to Rahul Gandhi

The letter by Confederation of All India Traders (CAIT) national secretary general has met with opposition in traders' circles in Gujarat. CAIT's Gujarat unit vice president Suresh Tanna resigned citing that the letter does not reflect traders' sentiments and they were kept confidential. CAIT's leaders in Gujarat said that issues raised by Congress president are valid and that the trade body should be apolitical to ensure it's credibility among the traders of the country. The issue will be raised during the meeting of Working Committee of CAIT to be held in Pondicherry on April 3 and 4.

CAIT secretary general Praveen Khandelwal recently wrote a letter to Congress president Rahul Gandhi objecting to calling it Gabbar Singh Tax and that traders are suffering because of GST. Khandelwal had said that GST is being simplified to a greater extent, the threshold limit has been by extended up to Rs 40 lakh and by and large the traders are 'deeply satisfied' with GST. Moreover, Khandelwal has also asked the traders affiliated to CAIT to advocate on his behalf to enable him get a ticket.

Suresh Tanna, VP of CAIT in Gujarat told DNA that Khandelwal's letter to Rahul Gandhi do not reflect sentiments of traders. "CAIT is a traders body and should not be politicised. For us all political parties are equal. The contents of the letter are unfair for traders. I have time and again warned them that an impression is being created that CAIT in an arm of BJP. Traders interest should be the priority and not personal interest," said Tanna. He admitted that traders are facing lots of problems in GST.

Pramod Bhagat, president of CAIT in Gujarat acknowledged that Tanna has resigned. "Issues (about GST) Rahul Gandhi is raising are valid. We do not agree with the letter Pravin Khandelwal has written to Congress president. We want CAIT to be a non-political body. We will rais the issue in the meeting of Working Committee," Bhagat told DNA.

Samir Shah, president of Saurashtra Oil Millers Association (SOMA) said that no doubt GST is simplified but a lot needs to be done. A member of CAIT in Gujarat said that Khandelwal wants to score brownie points with higher ups in BJP to contest Lok Sabha elections as a BJP candidate.