Traders ask CM to intervene to end strike against LBT

The apex traders' body CAIT on Wednesday asked Maharashtra Chief Minister Prithviraj Chavan to intervene "effectively" to end the indefinite strike called by traders against the Local Body Tax (LBT).

Traders have been demanding the rollback of LBT for more than a month now, but the state government's response has been lukewarm and hostile towards them, several trade leaders said in a joint statement.

This has sent a wave of resentment amongst traders across the country, it added. The trading community in the state have been protesting against the move stating that it will hurt their businesses badly.

"The Maharashtra government has not been able to resolve the issue. Therefore, there is an urgent need for the Maharashtra Chief Minister to intervene and end the deadlock,” the statement said.

Besides, it said, a panel comprising senior ministers of the state government should be formed to begin talks with the traders. CAIT Secretary General Praveen Khandelwal said the Maharashtra government should at least discuss the traders' concerns over the issue.

"The state government should not forget the adverse ramifications of the protest which could turn into a nationwide protest by traders across the country," he said.

The LBT will replace the traditional Octroi and is an account-based cess collection for every raw-material used or imported into the city's limits by all businesses, traders and manufacturers. In the newly-introduced local body tax, a lump sum amount has to be paid by traders or manufacturers or owner of goods within the specified period.