The Confederation of All India Traders (CAIT) has called a nationwide bandh to protest against ever-rising fuel prices, the E-Way Bill, and the complex structure of Goods and Services Tax (GST). Businesses and marketplaces across the country are expected to remain closed today as more than 40,000 trader associations, including All India Transporters Welfare Association (AITWA), have also supported the bandh call.
Fuel price to come down as winter goes away: Petroleum Minister Dharmendra Pradhan
“Increase in petroleum prices in the international market has affected consumers too. Prices will come down a little as winter goes away. It's an international matter, price is high due to increase in demand, it happens in winter. The price will come down.” quoting Pradhan.
Odisha: shops closed, commercial transport remained off from roads
Traders across Odisha kept their shop shutter down and commercial vehicles remained off from the roads backing the countrywide strike called by CAIT on Friday.
Major problems with the e-way bill need to be addressed: Pradeep Singhal, president of All India Transporters Welfare Association (AITWA)
Explaining the lapses of the e-way bill, Singhal said, the e-way bill has several problems, rule of heavy penalty on the e-way bill expiry, which is double the tax amount being collected as a penalty. Officers are also charging fines for minor mistakes.
Shashi Tharoor pulls auto rickshaws
Congress MP, Shashi Tharoor from Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala along with other party workers pulled autorickshaws outside the Kerala Secretariat. He later tweeted: "Addressed protesting auto-rickshaw drivers in Thiruvananthapuram, where the burden of #FuelTaxLoot is proving unsustainable for the aam aadmi. It’s unconscionable that Indians pay 260% tax on their fuel while Americans, for instance, pay 20%. Fuel taxes affect all other prices."
Tejashwi Yadav rode a bicycle
As a mark of the protest against the fuel price rise, RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav rode a bicycle from his residence to the Secretariat in Patna.
Shiv Sena workers set scooty on fire
Expressing anger over the increasing prices of petrol and diesel, workers of Shiv Sena set a scooty on fire in Jammu.
West Bengal
In Birbhum, West Bengal roads remained empty as traders and transporters protested against rising fuel prices, GST was observed.
Also Read: What are the trader's concerns?
Karnataka
The Karnataka State Lorry Owners and Agents Association (KSLO&A) supporting the bandh against the fuel price rise, on Thursday warned the Union government of bringing transportation to a halt from March 15 if the concerned issues were not addressed.
Eras of hartals are over Vyapar Mandal member
Bharatiya Udyog Vyapar Mandal Delhi General Secretary Rakesh Yadav said the Mandal is not taking part in the Bandh and submitted a memorandum on the GST-related issues to the government.
"There should be a continuous dialogue with the government. The era of hartals is over," said Yadav adding that the organisation has segments in 28 states across the country.