GST: Tepid response to trader body's protest call

The bandh call given by the District Veopar Mandal to protest against certain provisions of the GST failed to evoke much response from the local shopkeepers here today.
Except for shops of cloth merchants, all outlets remained open, with government and private establishments including banks and offices functioning normally.
Earlier in the day, the cloth merchants gathered at the local Jain Upasara on Railway Road here. Led by District Veopar Mandal President Gurcharan Arora, they went to the office of the deputy commissioner to submit their memorandum.
In the memorandum, they demanded withdrawal of 5 per cent levy on cloth which has been imposed under the new tax structure.

They also demanded certain amendments to the GST structure being implemented from midnight today.
However in Ludhiana, there was partial response to the bandh call given by the Vepoar Mandal against certain provisions of the GST.

Several traders of Chaura Bazar, Savan Bazar, Kesar Gunj, Gur Mandi and Books Market in Ludhiana closed their shops.
Most of the other markets in Ludhiana, however, were functioning normally.
In Ambala in Haryana also, the cloth merchants have been holding protest, demanding zero GST on cloth.