GST on textiles: Blessing in disguise for TRS

The recent decision of the Bharatiya Janata Party government at the Centre to impose Goods and Service Tax on handloom products has come as a blessing in disguise for Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) in Telangana ahead of the by-election to Munugode assembly seat.

As the polling is scheduled for November 3, the TRS launched a massive postcard campaign and online petitioning against the Centre’s decision on collecting GST on handloom products.

The campaign was first started by TRS working president and state industries and textiles minister K T Rama Rao and has been picked up by all the party leaders.

It has become a big political issue in the Munugode now, obviously to gain the mileage in the by-election.

KTR demanded that the union government remove the GST on handloom products to protect the interests of weavers and the country’s cultural heritage.

Shortly thereafter, TRS (BRS) leaders and cadre as well as several citizens joined both the campaigns which are picking up pace.

The TRS is now planning to take it up on a national level after the Munugode by-poll.

Others who joined the postcard campaign on Monday included national award winning poet Suddala Ashok Teja, Padmashri awardee and innovator Chintakindi Mallesham, Padmashree awardee and master weaver Gajam Govardhana, Padmashree awardee and master handloom designer Gajam Anjaiah, all of whom sent postcards to Prime Minister Narendra Modi demanding a rollback of the GST on handloom products.

The TRS sources pointed out that the handlooms and textiles sector in India is second largest employer with over 50 lakh weavers.

“The imposition of GST on handlooms will not only affect livelihood of these 50 lakh workers, but also levy additional financial burden on the pockets of crores of Indians,” they said.

Plans are afoot to involve like-minded forces from various parts of the country and build a pressure on the Centre.

Further, the party leadership is keen to take up these campaigns in a better organised manner as ignoring it any further would result in loss of livelihood and traditional crafts.