A tax denial satyagraha by Gandhian and renowned theatre personality Prasanna demanding GST exemption for all handmade products has swelling support from all walks of life. As the indefinite hunger strike entered the fifth day on Wednesday, former Prime Minister HD Deve Gowda and renowned film personality and activist Prakash Raj joined the satyagraha demanding withdrawal of GST on 200 handmade items. Prasanna sitting on a hunger strike in Bengaluru after touring the State is demanding tax exemption to over 200 handmade khadi items in the country to save the khadi and cottage sector .
Prakash Raj said: “This is a Government that promised ‘Make in India’ and create jobs. Asking for no tax on handmade products is part of social justice,” he said.
According to thespian Prasanna Heggodu, a committee has been formed by Gram Seva Sangh and has prepared a list of over 200 handmade, handloom and khadi products for GST exemption. He said, “We have submitted the list to Government for zero tax on these items”.
Prasanna, recalled the statement made by Prime Minister Narendra 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.
Chief Minister Siddaramaiah tweeted that CMO is working with Prasanna to prepare the list of the products advocating zero GST at the council.
Prasanna is on an indefinite hunger fast (Tax Denial satyagraha) at the Nidumamidi Mutt at Basavangudi in Bengaluru since Saturday against the imposition of GST on these products.
Deve Gowda who met and supported Prasanna said, “The handmade and khadi products have been widely used by both urban and rural population. lakhs and lakhs of people are depending on cottage industry. I want the GST exemption on these products to save them.”
The Gram Seva Sangh released an interim report 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 Rs 50 lakh from the present Rs 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.