HYDERABAD: Carrying lakhs of postcards and letters addressed to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, weavers’ welfare associations, handloom workers’ unions, and weavers’ social groups staged a massive protest at the Nizam College ground in Hyderabad on Monday, demanding the abolition of Goods & Service Tax (GST) on handloom products.
The letters and postcards were written by various leaders from across Telangana. The protesters, led by MLC L Ramana and former Rajya Sabha MP Rapolu Anand Bhaskar, later rallied to General Post Office to dispatch the letters.
“By sending the postcards to PM Modi, the handloom workers have made an effort to convey their grief and pain,” Rapolu Anand Bhaskar said. Voicing their opposition against the imposition of 12% GST on handlooms, the protesters raised slogans against the Central government.
They also demanded that the Centre restore the existing schemes like life insurance and yarn subsidy for the welfare of the handloom and power loom workers. “The GST on handlooms threatening the livelihood of workers,” said one of the protesters.
MLC L Ramana alleged that the Centre was being cruel to handloom workers. “The Centre first discontinued the welfare schemes for handloom workers, then imposed GST on handloom products. It will create tremendous difficulty for the people whose livelihood depends on the handlooms.”
CONVEYING GRIEF
The letters and postcards were written by various leaders from across Telangana. The protesters, led by MLC L Ramana and former Rajya Sabha MP Rapolu Anand Bhaskar, later rallied to General Post Office to dispatch the letters. “By sending the postcards to PM Modi, the handloom workers have made an effort to convey their grief and pain,” Rapolu Anand Bhaskar said.