YSRCP, CPI back textile traders' stir

Vijayawada: The YSR Congress Party and the Communist Party of India (CPI) here on Friday extended support to the agitating textile merchants. The leaders condemned the attitude of the government in imposing the Value Added Tax (VAT) despite repeated representations by the traders and political parties. The CPI city secretary, Donepudi Shankar, led the protest at Vastralatha and Kaleswararao Market in support of the textile merchants. He condemned the imposition of VAT on clothes and demanded that the government withdraw the tax without further delay. He said that the VAT on garments would be an additional burden on the people as every section of the society needed them. He wondered how the government was finding every opportunity to tax people. He said VAT was not imposed on clothes in any other State in the country and asked the government to justify its action. The YSR Congress Party senior leader P Gowtham Reddy, who led the party activists against VAT, alleged that the government had given up the welfare concept and was trying to do business on every activity. He asked the government to withdraw VAT on clothes and help the general public. He said that the YSR Congress Party would intensify the agitation if the tax was not withdrawn forthwith. The traders led by Ch Raghu Ram, B V Narasimha Rao, V Ramachandra Rao, K Lakshminarayana, T Veeraiah Gupta, B Narasimha Rao and others took out a procession from Vastralatha to the Collectorate raising slogans against the State government. As the District Collector was not available in the camp office, the traders submitted a memorandum in the peshi. The CPI and the YSR Congress Party leaders extended support to the agitating textile merchants and reiterated that they would continue to fight till the VAT is withdrawn.