Khel Udyog Sangh agitates outside Kalia's residence

Jalandhar, Nov 15 (UNI) Khel Udyog Sangh today held a dharna outside the residence of Industry Minister Manoranjan Kalia to press for abolishment of Value Added Tax (VAT) on the pattern of Uttar Pradesh.

While accusing the Punjab government of ''adopting indifferent attitude toward the sports industry'', the Sangh leaders said that they had decided to hold strong protests to make the government realise the plight of the once flourishing sport industry here.

''If the government still paid no heed, time is not far when the sports hub of the city would be wiped away,'' President of the Sangh Vijay Dhir said adding that stiff competition from the cheap Chinese sports goods had almost broken their backbone.

The members of the Sangh gathered at Basti Nou, the famous sports manufacturers' hub'', and accompanied by "dhols and Nagaras", took out a procession to the residence of Mr Kalia.

The Minister was not present in his house but a heavy deployment of police personnel prevented protestors from crossing the barrier.

The protest which continued for one and half hour remained peaceful.

UNI XC JN VN1928