Rama Rao, who is also state minister for handlooms and textiles, appealed to the people to write lakhs of postcards to the Prime Minister.
KTR, as the TRS leader is popularly known, wrote the postcard to the Prime Minister demanding that the Centre withdraw GST on handloom clothes and raw materials. He asked everyone who is fond of handloom products to join the campaign.
KTR mentioned the significance of the handlooms sector in the struggle for India’s freedom, and the history of the handlooms art.
The TRS leader said he brought the issues faced by handloom weavers to the notice of the Central government on multiple occasions but a positive response was not received.
He stated that the Central government which has scrapped welfare programmes for the weavers has imposed GST on the handloom products and raw materials. The minister pointed out that after agriculture, the handlooms sector is the second largest sector to generate employment. He called for rolling back GST on handloom products on humanitarian grounds.
Meanwhile, the TRS leader also urged the Prime Minister to slash the price of petrol to Rs 70 per liter and the diesel to Rs 65 per liter. He said the Centre has earned Rs 30 lakh crore as cess on petrol and diesel and at least now it should provide relief to people.
KTR was addressing a meeting of truck owners and drivers in Munugode Assembly constituency where a by-election is scheduled on November 3.
He recalled that when Modi became the Prime Minister, the price of crude oil was 94 dollars per barrel, and the current price is 98 dollars. “There is not a big difference in the price of crude but petrol which was then priced Rs 70 per litre is today Rs 112 per litre. Why the prices have gone up. Have the state governments increased the taxes,” he asked.
KTR said since the Centre has to share its tax revenues with the state, it imposed cess on petroleum products and earned a whopping Rs 30 lakh crore. “Those who increased the prices of diesel and petrol should slash them,” he added.
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