Liquor merchants of Belagavi city and district merchants joined a state-wide trade agitation on Monday and stopped buying new stock.
Members of the Belagavi Liquor Merchants' Association took out a procession and said they would not buy fresh stock until March 31. Their outlets would be shut on March 26 and 27.
Association president R.A. Shalgar, vice-pesident Motekar, secretary M.B. Jadhav and treasurer S.S. Kosandal led the procession and later submitted a memorandum to the deputy commissioner listing their demands.
The traders are affiliated to the Federation of Wine Merchants' Associations, Karnataka which has begun a nine-day protest against the recent increase in the value added tax (VAT) in the State.
They are demanding removal of the 5.5 per cent VAT on liquor sold in bars and restaurants in urban areas, clubs, lodgings and star hotels.
Their other demands include measures to ensure that the retailers earned net profit of 20-25 per cent; disbanding the Anti Lottery and Excise wing of the police department which, they said, was looting liquor shop owners; and removal of short-lifting IML.
