KHAMMAM: The three day-long fast of the granite owners demanding reduction of GST on the granite sector from 28 per cent to five per cent was called off on Monday following an assurance by BJP leader and Uppal MLA NVSS Prabhakar to take up the issue with the Centre. Representatives of the granite industry were on fast for the past three days demanding roll back of GST to five per cent. On Monday, Prabhakar along with party’s former MLA Dharma Rao visited the camp and held talks with the fasting leaders. Prabhakar assured that their demand will be taken up with the Centre and a positive outcome will come.
“Union finance minister Arun Jaitley will be in Hyderabad on September 9 to attend the GST Council meet and I will see to that the representatives of the granite industry meet the minister and raise their issues,’’ Prabhakar told the fasting leaders. Following the assurance, the fasting leaders agreed to end their protest. Prabhakar offered lemon juice to them ending the fast. Earlier in the day, Khammam MP Ponguleti Srinivasa Reddy, Sattupalli MLA Sandra Venkata Veeraiah, CPI party former MLA and state joint secretary Kunamneni Sambasiva Rao and others visited the protest camp.