Exempt yarn from GST: Ludhiana cloth merchants

Seeking total exemption on yarn and fabric from Goods and Services Tax (GST), the cloth merchants of Ludhiana today observed a complete strike against the Centre's new tax regime.
A protest rally was organised at Badhaur House market in which traders demanded rollback of GST on these items.
Pawan Batra, a senior leader of the traders, said that there was no tax on cloth till now.
"Once the GST regime kicks in, a tax of 5 per cent will be levied on yarn and fabric. Additionally, a 5 per cent GST will have to be paid by workers doing works like embroidery, etc.," he said.

Ravinder Arora, president of the Ludhiana unit of the BJP and Ajit Lakra, Bepoar Mandal Secretary also addressed the traders.
Later a delegation of the cloth merchants met Union Minister Thawar Chand Gehlot, who was in the city today and expressed their apprehensions about imposition of the GST on these items.
The minister assured them that he would convey their sentiments to Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley.