Traders in Mumbai and across the state have called for a bandh to protest the Local Body Tax (LBT). Local body tax is likely to be introduced from October this year and will replace octroi, which will be abolished in the state. Traders have been opposing it, the unanimous refrain being that it be scrapped.

Around one lakh shops in the city will be shut for the bandh. In the rest of the state, over five lakh retail shops have pull their shutters down for a day. “In all, including businessmen and retailers, around 10 lakh shops and businesses are shut in Maharashtra. Business in Mumbai alone will suffer losses up to Rs500 crore,” said Viren Shah, president of Federation of Retail Traders Welfare Association (FRTWA).

“We are saying that we are ready to talk about VAT but not LBT. LBT is like an old wine in a new bottle. It is not charged anywhere else in the country, except here. The government is making it extremely difficult for businessmen to survive and conduct business in the city. LBT will only lead to double taxation. If it is not removed, we will surrender our licenses,” Shah added.

On April 12, representatives of various traders’ organisations from Maharashtra had attended a state-level convention organised by the Federation of Trade Associations of Pune.

It is about time that the people of India started taking a stand against these thieving government in the states and the centre who impose new taxes every year.The governments greed has no limits.

It is corrupt and have reached such a state wherein we are being asked to give them everything and go home with a pittance.

Their own offices and undertakings do not perform and so the private sector is made the cow for milking until it drops dead.