CITU Denounces Atrocious GST Imposition & hikes on Essentials, Demands Immediate Rollback

Centre of Indian Trade Unions (CITU) strongly denounces the imposition of GST on the essentials of life of people in general and working class in particular and demands for its immediate roll back.

The workers and the common people who were already put to severe hardship and made to suffer with the ever increasing price rise due to the destructive policies of the Modi led government through its engineered price rise of petroleum products and domestic LPG are now further attacked by this offensive.

Never in the history of independent India were the essential food items like rice, wheat, pulses etc and dairy items like curd, paneer, meat, fish, jaggery taxed. The peoples own savings on withdrawal from banks are taxed with 18% GST on bank cheques. The Consumer Price Index (CPI) (Industrial Workers) as of now does not fully reflect the actual price rise during the current inflationary phase reflecting the ongoing systemic crisis. Given this situation the present imposition and hikes on the essentials of life also never get reflected in the index whereby the annual VDA appreciation for the Industrial workers,be it at state or central sphere,will never fully compensate the price rise. While this is so for the organised sector, the worst hit will be the unorganised sector workers who have no regular income and are dependent on their day to day earnings.

The workers, MSMEs, and the economy which is yet to recover from the Covid pandemic and lockdown-imposed decline will be further put to strains leading to further shrinkage in the expenditure. This will further lead to job losses and rise in unemployment. The BJP governments at the centre and states which are reluctant to increase minimum wages and stop job-losses are imposing further burdens on the people. This is nothing but adding salt to injury.

CITU calls upon the workers and the people at large to resist these blatant attacks on their lives through the imposition of GST imposition on essential items and the price hikes with all force with enmasse participation in the fortnight campaign from August 1st to14thand culminating in huge demonstrations on 14th August,on the eve of 75th year of Independence,throughout the Nation.

Issued by 
Tapan Sen
General Secretary

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