Vijayawada MP Lagadapati Rajagopal assured the textile traders agitating for scrapping of VAT on their products that the State Government was sympathetic to their cause.
Mr. Rajagopal visited the relay hunger strike camp at Vastralatha Shopping Complex in Vijayawada on Saturday.
Scrapping VAT
Interacting with retail and wholesale dealers he said that the Government was seriously considering scrapping VAT on textles.
He said the Chief Minister was ready to take a representation from the textile traders and retailers.
Several MLAs had already conveyed to the Chief Minister the demands of the public. But a meeting between the textile traders and the Chief Minister was being delayed because the State Legislative Assembly was in session.
Meanwhile members of the Vijayawada Tailoring Workers Union (affiliated to AITUC) expressed their solidarity to the agitation and took out a silent procession through the main bazaars.
Novel protest
Textile traders along with YSR Congress leaders sold ‘punukulu’ and ‘bajjilu’ to register their protest.
They said that they would have to take up such side businesses to make a living if the Government insisted on collecting VAT on textiles.
The traders staged a protest without shirts at Besant Road.
Activists of the All India Youth Federation also visited the relay hunger strike camp at Vastralatha Complex and expressed their solidarity to the agitation.
