GST-hit traders may launch stir

New Delhi: Small traders, seen as a core support base of the BJP, are up in arms against the continuing difficulties faced by them on Goods and Services Tax (GST) and have threatened a nationwide agitation against the tax regime described by the Narendra Modi government as the biggest reform since Independence.  

What has angered small traders is that “there is no direct dialogue” and they have allegedly been neglected in GST implementation. They also complain about the failure of GST portal and lack of co-ordination with the government or even the GST council.

To discuss the impact of GST, the Confederation of All India Traders (CAIT) has convened a two-day national meeting on September 18-19 in Surat that will be attended by over 100 trade leaders.

The leaders will take stock of the current situation and discuss the adverse impact of GST on businesses in the first 75 days.

“While chalking out the future course of action, the possibility of a national agitation on GST can not be ruled out as it is one of the core agenda of the meeting,” threatened a functionary of CAIT.

CAIT is the apex body of trading community supported by over 40,000 trade associations representing over 6 crore small businesses.

“The failure of the GST portal, absence of adequate knowledge about compliance procedures, continued confusion on tax rates on different items and inclusion of mass usage items under the 28 percent tax slab has fuelled dissatisfaction and disillusionment among traders,” the CAIT said in a statement.

The association said the first 75 days of GST have been a nightmare. “Dismal performance of GST portal and lukewarm attitude of state governments towards traders both before and after GST has brutally shattered hopes of the traders of having a simplified and rationalised taxation system,” said CAIT secretary general Praveen Khandelwal.

Irrational classification of items under different tax slabs, introduction of complicated reverse charge mechanism, overlapping of other laws and absence of clarity pertaining to provisions of the GST procedure have led to a situation of confusion, he said.