CAIT strike call gets lukewarm response in Amritsar

Tribune News Service

Amritsar, February 26

The strike call given by the Confederation of All-India Traders (CAIT), supported by the All-India Motor Transport Congress, drew poor response from local traders.

The call was given to protest against the Centre for arbitrary regulations and changes in introducing e-way bills, complex GST system, violations by e-commerce giants and hike in fuel prices.

Almost all markets stayed open throughout the day. Even wholesale hubs, including Katra Sher Singh (medicine), Shastri market (textile), Majith Mandi and adjoining areas remained operational.

Anantdeep Singh, spokesperson, All India Motor Transport Congress, said, “As, no local trader organisation complied with the strike, no transporter stopped its operations.”

He said it was a failure on the part of leaders to educate traders about the importance of strike to convey their reservations on business law and pricing of fossil fuels in the country. Meanwhile, a delegation of the Punjab Pradesh Beopar Mandal l handed over a memorandum to ADC Himanshu Aggarwal and held a symbolic protest at the District Court. He also handed over a copy of the memorandum to Rajwinder Kaur, Deputy Excise and Taxation Commissioner.

Similarly, a delegation of the SAD’s Trade and Industry Wing, led by Rajinder Singh Marwaha, gave a memorandum against the complex format of the GST to the Deputy Excise and Taxation Commissioner. Marwaha said the assurance of a simplified tax format after introduction of the GST proved hollow as after 937 amendments it continues to be a set of complex law governing trade and industry. He flayed the e-way bill and stated that the new system would take away the liberty of shifting material in transit in case the vehicle breaks down or is delayed for some reason.

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