Kerala - Kochi   

Traders decry sales tax raids

Photo: H. Vibhu

PROTEST ACTION: Shops in Broadway were closed on Monday afternoon in protest against sales tax inspections at leading textile showrooms in the city. —

KOCHI: Shops in the city downed shutters in the afternoon on Monday in protest against checks made by the Sales Taxes Department at shops across the city. Checks were made at leading textile shops such as Seematti, Kalyan Silks and Jayalekshmi among other shops in the city.

The decision to observe a hartal in the afternoon was taken at the meeting of merchants’ organisations at the office of the Kerala Merchants’ Union.

The merchants also took out a protest march. Kerala Merchants’ Union president L.A. Joshey inaugurated the meeting held in front of GCDA Shopping Complex, Marine Drive. Union vice president K.M. John, All Kerala Distributors’ State general secretary V. Balakrishnan, Textiles and Garments Dealers Welfare Association city unit president T. Mohammed Basheer, Mather Bazaar and Broadway Lane Shop Owners’ Association president Latheef, Ernakulam Stationery and General Merchants’ Association president M.S.M. Mustafah, Penta Menaka Shop Owners’ Association representative I.T. Antony and Merchants’ Union youth wing president V.M. Siddique spoke. The merchants have decided to close down the shops if the raids continue.

The Kerala Chamber of Commerce and Industry in a statement issued on Monday requested the Finance Minister Thomas Isaac to stop terrorizing traders under the pretext of conducting raids.

Traders conducting business legally should be given adequate protection, said E.S. Jose, chairman of the chamber, in the statement. The traders were not against raiding shops of unscrupulous elements. However, anti-social elements were interfering in the raids creating fear among the trading community, he said. Such inspections should be stopped and a solution should be found through discussions with trading organisations.

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