GST: Textile traders continue strike in several towns

In Surat, textile traders, especially those dealing in man-made fibre (MMF) fabrics, are pressing for removal of GST on MMF fabrics. The Textile GST Sangharsh Samiti (TGSS) is planning a huge rally on July 8 demanding ‘No GST’ on fabrics. Surat is home to around 165 textile markets that together have 75,000 shops, which have downed their shutters for the past few days.

In Amritsar, wholesale textile traders are on an indefinite strike demanding roll back of 5 per cent GST on unstitched clothes, including all kinds of fabric, blankets and shawls. The Federation of Textile Traders of Amritsar (FTTA) has said that local member of Parliament Gurjeet Singh Aujla has extended support to their cause and assured them that he would raise their demand in the next session of Parliament, which begins on July 12.

In Jaipur, wholesale cloth shops remained shut for the second consecutive day yesterday. Earlier, Rajasthan Cloth Traders Association (RCTA) went on a four-day strike from June 27-30 stating that the 5 per cent GST on clothes and saris is unjustified.

In Tamil Nadu, textile manufacturers are also on strike along with traders and merchants of yarn and fabrics. Power looms, dyeing, packing and processing units across textile hubs of Erode, Karur, Namakkal, Tiruppur, Palladam, Somanur and Coimbatore are protesting the imposition of GST on various stages of textile manufacturing.

The weaving and knitting factories in Karur are on a six-day strike against the levy of 5 to 18 per cent GST on textiles. Whereas in Erode, which produces handloom and powerloom products costing more than Rs 900 crore every month, nearly 5,000 textile shops under the aegis of Erode Handloom Cloth Merchants Association are on strike seeking withdrawal of 5 per cent GST on textile goods. (RKS)

Fibre2Fashion News Desk – India