Textile traders threaten indefinite fast from March 17

Adilabad: Textile traders at various places in the district continued their protest rallies and dharnas for the third day in the district on Monday against imposition of VAT (value added tax) on textiles. The traders took out a massive rally from Ambedkar Chowk to the Collectorate in Adilabad opposing the VAT. The agitators raised slogans against the Government. Cloth shops at different places were shut down as a mark of protest on VAT. Cloth merchants went on strike at Manchiryal, Nirmal, Bhainsa, Khanapur, Utnoor, Kagaznagar and Asifabad towns. Adilabad Chamber of Commerce (ACC) expressed its support to the ongoing agitation by the textile traders. ACC president Rajeswar said that middle income sections were affected due to the imposition of VAT on cloths. He demanded the State Government to immediately withdraw the VAT. If their demands were not considered by the Government, then they would intensify their agitation from March 17 on which they would resort to indefinite hunger strike in support of their demands. He urged the MLAs to raise the issue of VAT on cloths during the forthcoming Assembly session. Mancherial: The cloth merchants took out a rally from Market Road to Bellampalli Chowrastha where they formed human chain. The leaders of the agitation said that only the Andhra Pradesh Government was collecting VAT on textile sales. Because of VAT, their business has come down significantly, the leaders said. Bellampalli: The members of AP Textile Federation (APTF) took out a rally in Ballampally town condemning VAT. The leaders said that the State Government has been imposing unnecessary burden in the form of VAT on textile traders. Later, the leaders of APTF submitted a memorandum to the Mandal Revenue Officer (MRO) demanding withdrawal of VAT on cloths. APTF town president Vengal Das, Tirupathi, honorary president Rathanlal Agarwal and others participated in the agitation.