With no signs of the State government responding to their request to withdraw the Value Added Tax (VAT) on textiles, the traders have decided to organise bandh from Monday onwards. Some of the traders have already downed their shutters in Vastralatha and others areas in protest against the VAT being imposed on textiles.
The Andhra Pradesh Textile Federation has given a call to observe a week-long bandh from January 22, which happens to be a Sunday. So, the bandh would come into force effectively from Monday.
The traders observed three-day bandh in December following raids by commercial taxes department. The CT officials raided the shops in a strategic manner in December which is Christmas-Sankranti season. The tussle ended with the intervention of Vijayawada (West) MLA Velampalli Srinvasa Rao.
The federation strongly condemned the raids and the government's indifferent attitude towards the cloth merchants. The traders also planned to organise ‘Chalo Hyderabad' if the government fails to respond to the demand.
Strongly deploring imposition of VAT on textiles, the traders said VAT would become a big burden on consumers and affect the textile business in the State. Only Andhra Pradesh government was imposing it.
“We don't mind if any tax is imposed across India as it will impose burden equally. Our concern is that the business is going to neighbouring states such as Tamil Nadu where there is no VAT on textiles,” they said.
