Textile Associations to go on relay hunger strike

Hyderabad, Feb 22 (UNI) Andhra Pradesh Federation of Textile Associations is organising relay hunger strikes in the state from tomorrow, in protest against the state government's imposition of four per cent Value Added Tax (VAT) on bedsheets, blankets and other made ups, its President A Vijay Kumar said today.

Addressing the press here, Mr Kumar said the government had issued Government Order 1564 on August 17, 2005 and imposed four per cent VAT on bedsheets, curtains, crochet laces, pillow covers, towels, zari and embroidery articles. Nearly 70 to 80 lakh people depending on the textile trade would be hit hard and lose their livelihood due to the imposition of VAT, he added.

Claiming that the bandh observed by the traders today had got 100 per cent response throughout the state, Mr Kumar said the association would intensify its agitation by observing relay hunger strike from tomorrow and organise rasta roko and rail roko till the government quashed the GO, which was being executed without informing the textile trade associations.

He said Chief Minister Y S Rajasekhara Reddy and Commercial Tax minister K Ramakrishna did not respond to their demands despite the association submitting a representation on this issue.

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