Trader Protests Alleged Harassment by Officials at Ghaziabad GST Office

An iron trader from Meerut, Akshay Jain, staged a protest at the Mohan Nagar GST office in Ghaziabad. He stripped down to his underwear, alleging harassment by department officials. A video of the protest circulated widely on social media, with Samajwadi Party leader Akhilesh Yadav sharing it on X to criticise the Uttar Pradesh government.

Yadav commented on X in Hindi, "This is the truth of Ease of Doing Business in BJP rule: BJP has even made traders take off their clothes. Traders are saying today that they don't want the BJP." Jain claimed he was driven to this extreme action due to ongoing harassment by the department.

Allegations and Counterclaims

Officials dismissed Jain's allegations, stating discrepancies were found in a delivery challan from his company, Arihant Iron and Steel Industry. They noted a missing weighing slip and claimed a company vehicle was brought for inspection but Jain refused to cooperate and became agitated.

The GST officials reported that during their investigation, they discovered the vehicle was carrying 170 kg more than declared. Consequently, a penalty of 118 per cent was imposed, requiring Jain to pay Rs 10,532. The vehicle was released after payment, according to officials.

Trader's Defence

Jain denied any wrongdoing or excess weight allegations. He accused the GST department of harassing him for money. He stated he pleaded with officials to understand his situation but their refusal led him to protest. Jain said he drew inspiration from Lord Mahavir ji's non-violent principles.

Despite the official claims, Jain maintained his stance against the alleged harassment. The incident highlights ongoing tensions between traders and authorities over GST enforcement practices.