Proposed GST hike for Kashmiri shawl will finish craft: Mehbooba

December 21, 2024 19:06

People's Democratic Party supremo Mehbooba Mufti on Saturday said the proposed increase in GST for Kashmiri shawl would finish the craft and appealed to Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah to address the issue.

She also alleged that the Centre was trying to make the people of Jammu and Kashmir dependent solely on tourism.

"The Kashmiri shawl is not just a means of livelihood for us but an identity of Jammu and Kashmir. It is famous all over the world. The (previous) National Conference government banned the Shahtoosh, which was our heritage. That also caused economic losses," Mehbooba told reporters.

"Today, when you increase GST on Kashmiri shawl to 28 per cent, our art will automatically die," the PDP president added.

The former chief minister of the erstwhile state alleged efforts were being made to destroy Jammu and Kashmir by undertaking development work on horticulture land and imposing GST on the handicraft sector.

"These kept Jammu and Kashmir alive in its difficult times. I request Omar (Abdullah) that these are our assets, you have 50 MLAs, three MPs, for God's sake, tell us what you are doing to save our assets. What are you doing on the issue of increasing GST to 28 per cent," she asked.

The PDP chief alleged that these measures were an attempt by the Centre to make Jammu and Kashmir dependent solely on tourism.

"If our horticulture and handicraft are finished, we will only be dependent on tourism. Perhaps, the central government wants to finish the horticulture and the handicraft sectors to make the people of Jammu and Kashmir dependent only on tourism so that when they can send tourists whenever they want," Mehbooba said.

She also claimed huge development projects were wreaking havoc on agricultural and horticultural land. -- PTI

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