BENGALURU: Noted theatre personality and social activist Prasanna on Tuesday called upon Prime Minister Narendra Modi to take measures to declare zero taxation for all handmade products under the Goods and Service Tax regime. Prasanna is on an indefinite hunger fast (Tax Denial Satyagraha) at the Nidumamidi Mutt at Basavangudi here since Saturday against the imposition of GST on these products. Briefing reporters at the Mutt on Tuesday, Prasanna, recalled the statement made by Modi in Gandhinagar on Monday that the GST regime had not been brought about by the BJP government alone but the Congress too and queried why he alone was blamed for it.
“We welcome the PM’s statement. To err is human. To rectify the error is divine. Congress Chief Minister of Karnataka has already corrected his mistake and said his government shall work towards making handmade products zero taxed,” Prasanna said.
He urged the PM too to correct his mistake. MP Rajeev Gowda met the activist after he went on fast and said the Chief Minister had also tweeted his support for the cause on October 15: “CMO is working with Prasanna to prepare the list of handmade products for advocating Zero GST at the Council,” he Gowda. Karnataka State GST Council member Krishna Byregowda and MP Rajeev Gowda called on Prasanna later in the night
REPORT RELEASED Prasanna, a member of Gram Seva Sangh, released an interim report submitted by a committee of the Sangh headed by social theorist Ashis Nandy on the issue. The report demands “The turnover limit for individuals and Self Help Groups producing handmade products be increased to `50 lakh from the present `20 lakh.”
Handmade products produced and marketed by producer co-operative societies and their federations should be subject to zero tax with no turnover limit, the report added. The Sangh also released a list of over 100 products which can fall under the handmade list cutting across agriculture, forest, handloom and khadi, handicraft, services and cultural performance sectors. Newspaper printing, Braille book printing, handmade icecream, umbrella manufacturing, folk dance, theatrical performances are among those listed.