Textile Traders Threaten To Intensify Stir Against GST

Hyderabad: Textile traders’ nation-wide strike entered second day on Wednesday in protest against the Goods and Services Tax (GST) Council’s decision to impose five percent tax on the sector. The traders threatened to go an indefinite strike if their demands are not considered at the council meeting this week.

The Telangana State Federation of Textiles Association (TSFTA) observed bandh which began on Tuesday and will continue till Thursday. The members will take to streets on Friday protesting the GST implementation on textiles. TSFTA President Ammanabolu Prakash said,"The council of GST imposed tax on textiles at the last moment giving us big shock."

TSFTA members will take to streets on Friday protesting the GST implementation on textiles

Prakash further added that thousands of labors working in the sector are unorganized and GST implementation will adversely affect them.

A trader from Surat said, "We have no idea about how to file returns using the GST software. 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.”