Traders Across India To Go On Strike Tomorrow

FILE PHOTO: Vendors wait for customers at their respective shops at a retail market in Kolkata on December 12, 2018

Going ahead with their protest against arbitrary regulations and changes in the Goods and Services Tax (GST) and alleged norm violations by e-commerce giants, traders across the country will go a day-long strike tomorrow.

In a statement, the Confederation of All India Traders (CAIT), the umbrella body which has called for the strike, said that over 8 crore traders belonging to more than 40,000 trade associations across country will observe the ‘Bharat Vyapar Bandh’ to protest against some of the “draconian, arbitrary and critical” amendments made recently in GST rules.

It will also urge the government to rectify glitches in e-commerce for preventing violation of laws by foreign e-commerce companies.

AITWA SUPPORTS STRIKE

The All India Transport Welfare Association (AITWA), an apex body of 1 crore transporters, has already supported the strike and has also announced a ‘Chakka Jam’ of the transport sector on Friday all over India.

CAIT Secretary General Praveen Khandelwal said that not only traders but even small industries, hawkers, and women entrepreneurs, among others, will join the bandh.

Further, associations of chartered accountants and tax advocates have supported the strike and have informed their clients not to visit their offices on Friday.

Khandelwal further said that on Friday, as a mark of protest, ‘dharna’ will be held in more than 1,500 towns and cities across states and no traders will login to the GST portal to register their protest.

Here are updates on the Bharat Bandh:

– All commercial markets across the country will remain closed as over 40,000 traders’ associations are taking part in the bandh

– 40 lakh vehicles will remain off the road on Friday

-Ahead of the ‘Bharat Bandh’, CAIT wrote to Prime Minister Narendra Modi raising issues related to the GST regime, and alleging violation of e-commerce rules by major e-tailers

-In its letter to the prime minister, CAIT called for setting up of a “special working group” at the central level, comprising senior officials, CAIT representatives and independent tax experts to review the GST structure and make recommendations to the government

-It also suggested that a “District GST working Group” may be constituted in each district to monitor smooth GST implementation and to take steps for widening the tax base and augmentation of revenue