GST row: Small traders launch 3-day agitation in Karnataka

Bengaluru, July 23 Amid the political face-off between the ruling Congress and the opposition BJP over the issue of GST notices to small traders and shop owners demanding exorbitant tax payments, traders across the state have launched a three-day agitation starting Wednesday.

As part of the protest, traders have stopped serving milk, coffee, and tea to customers at their shops, and many wore black badges.

A decision has been made to boycott the sale of cigarettes, beedis, and all tobacco-related products on Thursday (July 24). On Friday (July 25), the traders plan to shut down their shops and establishments and stage a massive protest at Freedom Park in Bengaluru.

The traders are also considering launching an indefinite strike unless the GST notices are withdrawn.

Meanwhile, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah has called a meeting with aggrieved parties and trade bodies at his official residence in Bengaluru. However, Karnataka State Karmika Parishat President Ravi Shetty, reacting to CM Siddaramaiah's move to address the issue, stated that his organisation would not attend the meeting.

“We initiated the agitation against the GST notices to traders. But the state government has invited only those trade bodies that are already paying taxes. The meeting should have involved small traders who have been issued GST notices demanding payments of up to Rs 50 lakh. Our organisation received the invitation merely for formality. We will not be attending the meeting,” Ravi Shetty stated.

Union Minister for Food, Public Distribution and Consumer Affairs Pralhad Joshi has clarified that the GST notices issued to small-scale traders in Karnataka are the doing of the state government, and not the Central government.

The Karnataka BJP has slammed the Congress-led government in Karnataka over the alleged issuance of GST tax notices to small traders, accusing it of obstructing the Centre's digital revolution. The party has also announced the launch of a helpline to safeguard the interests of small traders in the state in the backdrop of a row over GST.

Hitting back at the BJP, the Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister and State Congress President D.K. Shivakumar said that the BJP is trying to fix the Congress government in the state over the GST row.

“BJP is trying to eat the banana and wipe it on our nose by issuing GST notices to small traders,” the Deputy Chief Minister said, while targeting opposition BJP in the state.

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