Police on Tuesday foiled a sit-in programme of the trade bodies outside the Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly complex here by arresting several leaders and activists.
The trade leaders were protesting outside the assembly while the House was being re-convened to debate implementation of the controversial GST bill.
Scores of protesting trade leaders, including Showkat Chowdhary, Zahoor Tramboo and Faiz Bakshi, among others, were arrested by the police.
Former chairman Kashmir Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Mubeen Shah was placed under house arrest earlier today, said a trade leader.
Meanwhile, Kashmir Traders and Manufacturers (KTMF) president Muhammad Yasin Khan was arrested in Srinagar on Tuesday to prevent him from leading an anti-GST protest, said a spokesman.
He said police arrested Khan from his residence before Fajr prayers and shifted him to an undisclosed location.
“Our protest against the implementation of GST in the state will be held as per programme,” said the spokesman.
Traders, civil society and opposition parties have opposed the implementation of Goods and Services Tax (GST) in its present form in the state.
They fear that the new tax regimen will erode the financial autonomy and the special status of the state, guaranteed under Article 370.
