Textile traders down shutter to protest against GST in Ferozepur

Ferozepur, July 6, 2017 : Hundreds of cloth merchants in Ferozepur today protested against the Goods and Service Tax – GST recently introduced by the Centre from July 1. At certain place, the family members of traders also joined the protest.

The textile traders have been protesting against the GST Council’s decision to levy five percent tax on the sector. They are also demanding extension period of one year for the industry to prepare for the new tax regime.

 The traders feared that with the introduction of GST would lead to return of ‘inspector raj’ and harassment of small traders in textile and apparel business.

The textile industry is already under loss because of wrong policies of the government and with the implementation of GST, the maximum loss will be to this industry, said Ashok Kumar cloth merchant.

If implemented, all textile traders would be destroyed. If the Government fails to pay any heed to our demands, we will reinforce our struggle,” said the trader. He said they were in a “do or die situation”. If the Government did not accept our demands, our businesses would have an unforeseen loss,  said another cloth trader Subhash Chander.

He however, maintained most of the traders  had “no idea about how to file returns using the GST software, and how can the Government implements GST without any preparedness.