Indore (Madhya Pradesh): Continuing their protest against the increase in GST from 5 per cent to 12 per cent, garment traders in Indore fried Pakoda and sold vegetables.
They kept their shops closed and staged demonstrations with black flags on Thursday.
Garment shops at Shitlamata Bazar, Cloth Market, Sapna Sangeeta, Malwa Mill and Bhanwarkuan remained shut, while the traders of Rajwada fried pakodas, prepared poha and sold vegetables to protest against the Centre’s decision to hike GST.
“We tried to send the message that, if the GST hike isn’t rolled back, we’re going to shut our shops and start selling pakodas, poha and vegetables,” said Akshay Jain, president of the Indore Retail Garments Association.
“The central government has acted against its self-reliant India stance by hiking the GST on a ‘swadeshi’ industry,” he said, adding, “The move will deal a severe blow to Indian garment-makers, and enable manufacturers in China and Bangladesh to hold sway in this segment.”
Meanwhile, Congress leaders, too, supported the protest by the garment traders and MLA Sanjay Shukla bought the poha and vegetables from the agitating traders.
Some of the traders have also kept their fingers crossed for a favourable decision at the GST Council meeting to be held in New Delhi on December 31. However, no agenda for the meeting has been disclosed yet.
