Textile merchants hold massive rally protesting against GST

Massive protest rally held by textile traders, weavers against covered under GST. Handloom and textile industry is already under threat, GST will further augment loss. Textile cottage industry cannot take the burden of GST, lakhs of weavers will go jobless.

The handloom and textile traders held a massive rally protesting against being included under the GST.  All shops in and around Chickpete, Cubbonpete, Avenue Road area were shut down. The protest march started at Bannappa Park and terminated at Mysore Bank Circle at Majestic.

Addressing the rally, Mysore Powerloom Silk Traders Cooperative Society president Lakshminarayana said the textile industry is already under great loss and GST will further increase its sufferings.  Handloom is a cottage industry.

Pure silk weaving is becoming a rarity with weavers mixing 40 per cent synthetic thread with 60 per cent silk thread, which is cost effective.  Pure silk textiles are already expensive and GST will further add burden, he said.