GST rollout: 50,000 Delhi cloth shops on three-day strike seeking exemption

Delhi cloth merchants allege that they are not acquainted with the GST regime

Around 50,000 wholesale cloth shops were shut in the national capital on Tuesday in protest against the Goods and Services Tax (GST) that is to roll out from July 1.

Vice President of Delhi Hindustani Mercantile Association, an association of wholesale cloth traders, Shri Bhagwan Bansal, said the nationwide strike of cloth merchants will continue till Thursday to press for exemption from GST.

Thousands of cloth merchants gathered at Chandni Chowk here and raised their voice against the GST.

Bansal demanded exemption for cloth traders from GST for a year and said that cloth merchants should be given proper training about tax levies before implementing the pan-India tax policy.

Bansal said that cloth merchants are not acquainted with the GST regime.

He asked why there was hurry to implement the tax policy.

Bansal said the central government is not clear about its policy regarding implementation of GST.

He warned that if the government does not accept their demand then they will extend the protest for an indefinite period.

He said that cloth merchants across the country are observing the three-day nationwide strike.

The government has announced a tax of 12 per cent on ready made garments, five percent on natural yarn and fabric cotton and 18 per cent on man-made yarn under the GST.