State Textile Federation (STF) in its emergency general body meeting here tonight has decided to continue merchants’ bandh till March 31, despite Chief Minister N. Kiran Kumar Reddy’s assurance of withdrawing VAT on cloth.
Announcing its decision, STF convener B. Malleswara Reddy, president A. Prakash and vice-president Bommana Rajkumar have jointly stated that the Chief Minister should make a statement to this effect in the State Assembly or they would wait for G.O. from the government.
Earlier, the STF conducted a huge rally with merchants, shop keepers and workers coming from different parts of the State in Rajahmundry in the morning which was followed by a public meeting. Addressing public meeting, Mr Prakash said that they were not going to pay single rupee to the government towards VAT. He said that they had been fighting against VAT from November 2011.
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Mr. Malleswara Reddy said that due to the textile traders for the last 20 days, weavers and shop workers faced problems and urged the government to take steps to solve the problem.
MLA Chandana Ramesh, Pokala Seethaiah, district convener of STF, members Uppu Prakash, Santhosh Sugani and others participated.