Six TN districts to down shutters protesting against VAT

Chennai, Jan 29 (UNI) Shops in six districts in Tamil Nadu would down their shutters tomorrow and January 31, protesting against the implementation of Value Added Tax (VAT) system in the state since January one.

Talking to newspersons here, Tamil Nadu Traders' Federation President T Vellaiyan said the shops would be closed down to enable the traders to take part in the Zonal conferences being organised in various districts to mobilise them and general public to protest against VAT.

He said for the Zonal conference to be held in Vellore district tomorrow, shops in Vellore, Tiruvannamalai and Villupuram districts would remain closed. Similarly, when the conference is held in Chennai city on January 31, shops in Chennai, Tiruvallur and Kancheepuram districts would down the shutters, he added.

The Chennai Zonal conference would be addressed, among others by Mr Shyam B Misra, President of the All India Traders Federtion, Mr Vikay Prakash Jain, General Secretry Kerala Traders Federation.

Accepting the Federation's invitation, leaders of various political parties in Tamil Nadu, including former AIADMK Commercial Taxes Minister Ce Vi Shanmugam, MDMK Deputy General Secretary Mallai Satya, DPI Legislator K Selvaperunthagai and Left party leaders M Veerapandian and Sundarajan have also agreed to address the conference, Mr Velliayan said.

Similar Zonal conferences would be held in other parts of the state, he said. If the state government did not come forward to withdraw VAT regime in the interest of small and retail traders, even after the Zonal conferences, the Federtion would launch a People's movement against the system, he warned.

UNI